I follow you, deep sea, baby
by BloodT3ars
Summary: While looking for walkers in one of the dark corridors of the prison, Daryl finds a woman locked in a cell. Their encounter ends in a way he never imagined. The connection between them is undeniable, but will she be Daryl's perfect match or his doom? /Set just after Rick & co. take over the prison. Not following strictly tv series story line. OCs added.
1. Chapter 1

1.

Daryl decided to clean this particular corridor alone. It was an underground part of the prison, one they would never need to use. He saw a walker disappearing in it two days ago, when they were cleaning the corridor above it. He was too tired to pursue him then, they all were, so he simply locked the door.

Now that things settled, he had quite some time to spare. There was not much to do for him. Guarding and occasional supply runs, and even those, having found a well-stacked storage room within the prison, were not a priority anymore, rather, according to Rick, an unnecessary risk.

He was not used spending his time without having to worry every second. A relaxed atmosphere made him feel unrelaxed and out of place. In fact, he felt more relaxed in the face of an imminent danger. There was also the issue of constantly being in the company of the others. He could listen to people's chatter only for so long. He never did the normal life before. Not that he wasn't happy for them, that they were all safe, it was not about that at all. He'd give his life to keep them safe. But now that they are, he needed time on his own. He needed to be alone and dark corridors like this one were a perfect excuse. He didn't want to just disappear and look ungrateful or worse, be then questioned by the all the women if he felt okay. Yeah, that would certainly be the worst, having to talk about how he feels. So he told them he'll do a round on the corridors again to make sure there weren't any walkers left. It raised fewer questions and sounded better than saying he wanted to be alone.

And down here, he did feel alone. Just like before. In times, when Merle wasn't around. This loneliness was what made him, it shaped his core. And he needed to go back to it every now or then.

With a small flashlight just above his bow, he walked slowly, scanning the place. The cells he passed were empty and small. Too small. Must have been isolation cells. Merle was once put in one of them. When he was released, he told him he'd rather set himself on fire than go back there again. Coming from such a tough son of a bitch like his brother, that said something about the place.

The air was dump and stale and it was much colder than upstairs. The sunlight never reached down here, that was clear. He wondered if even walkers could survive for long in such conditions. They sure can, he quickly countered his doubts. Thoughts like that can lead you to drop your guard. And he never let his guard down. Never.

As if some higher power heard his musing, a walker stumbled from an open cell on his left. He was particularly creepy, his decaying skin so white, it glowed when he flashed the light upon him. He wanted to keep him at distance, to take his time before he'd shoot an arrow through his skull, but when he grabbed at the creature's arm, the skin felt like it was covered with jelly and was too slippery to hold him away. He grimaced in disgust, let go of the walker and shot.

When he pulled out the arrow it felt like taking a spoon from a jar of honey. Honey, he chuckled, something he hadn't tasted in a while. He stamped on the walker's head and crushed it.

He paused for a while, listening. There was nothing, no sound at all. Was that the only walker in here? He almost felt sorry, if that was the case. But, hey, there was still quite some corridor left ahead and perhaps, he'll get lucky.

He continued and the cold, which initially bothered him, became quite pleasant . Further down the corridor the doors on almost all of the cells were closed. They were heavy, iron doors, and even if unlocked, a walker closed inside those cells, wouldn't be able to open them. He'd check randomly a cell on the left, a cell on the right, skipping some in-between. He started to question his initial intent to go all the way to the end. The corridor was much longer than he expected. He decided to continue a bit further and then return, whether he hit the end of it or not.

The darkness seemed to grow thicker, spurring his imagination. If a walker took him down now, nobody would ever know. They'd search for him sure; Rick would, Carol….but it would never occur to them to look down here. He smiled at the image of himself roaming down the corridor and back, repeating the same walk over and over again. Nope, it was never happening. He thought about it more than a few times, devised in his mind several ways to end himself before he'd turn.

Did he just hear something? He paused and held his breath. No sound at all, but an unsettling feeling about the cell to his right remained. He puffed the air out. The place started to play tricks on his mind. It's gonna be the last cell he'd check, before he heads back. He lifted the latch and pushed the door open.

His gut feeling proved right once again. The moment he opened the door, he heard some commotion and there, deep inside the cell, he saw a shadow growing. He flashed his light into it.

The fuck is that? Something lurked there – a walker, a human? The more the beam of his flashlight scrutinized the figure the clearer picture he got. It was a woman, he could see that much from the tight t-shirt. She was leaning with one hand on a wooden stick and covering her face with the other. He wasn't sure, whether she was dead or alive, but there was need for a rushed decision. There was enough distance between them, and even if she stood much closer, he could still kill her easily.

"You alive?" His finger on the trigger was ready to press.

"I am."

Her voice was soft, like he'd expect from a woman, but what was unusual was the calmness of it. A calmness he was not used to hear, especially in encounters like this one. "Put your hands up!"

At his words she abruptly dropped the hand she held in front of her face.

Her move was sudden and exactly the opposite of what he told her to do. Under the usual circumstances such doing would very likely result in her death. But this time, and not that this never happened to him, but it did happen very, very rarely, he experienced one of those temporary lapses of concentration, during which his opponent was granted an important moment of advantage.

Had she wanted, she could go for a weapon, she could attack him. He was aware of all that, and yet for the whole three seconds, he didn't act. He did nothing, said nothing, just remained in the same pose and stared at her. At her face, that is. At her white, really white skin, the perfectly straight nose, her black, sleek, shiny hair, cut straight at chin length, at her slightly parted lips and at the scar, which extended across her right cheek and looked like a gross mistake on such a polished face. Then there were her eyes… hidden…behind sunglasses!

Seeing she didn't seize the given opportunity, he made, stupidly, a step forward only to reaffirm, as much to her as to himself, he was in control of the situation. "I said, put your hands up!"

She still didn't move, only lowered her chin and muttered something.

"What's that?"

"Could you please remove that fuckin flashlight from my face?"

She spoke with an odd accent. He assessed her again. She had no visible injuries. She was skinny, his age or less, he never was good at determining a person's age, shorter than him, although a decent height for a woman. She wore a t-shirt and jeans, no weapons on her, at least he didn't see any from where he was standing. She had a stick, yes, but had she overpowered him with that, then fuck it, he'd deserve it.

Something though was out of place. The way she leaned on that stick with her hand, the way she faced him. He moved slightly to the right. Her head turned towards him, but even though he didn't see her eyes, the way she followed his movement was unusual. He them moved to the left and once again the same happened.

"Fuck… " he lowered his bow just a bit and pointed his flashlight directly at her face. "You blind or something?"

She put her hand up again over her glasses, her face grimaced a bit. "Yes, you shithead. Not exactly a bright one, are you?"

He kept his patience. "Why don't you take your glasses off, mmm?"

"And I suppose my t-shirt is next?"

It was not what she said, it was the way she smirked at him after she said it. In one step he closed the distance and pushed his bow an inch from her forehead.

"Ain't playin, lady. Take your glasses off."

He felt her stick against his leg. She must have put it there the moment he came at her. Good timing, but probably just an instinctive movement, he reasoned, otherwise why not rather swing it against him. He felt no threat from her anymore, but remained alert.

She placed her hand on his bow and pushed it down gently together with the flashlight. He let her. He wasn't clear on why he did that, but he let her. Then she took off her glasses

Although his flashlight was turned downwards, there was enough light to see her face. Her eyes were big and round. Pretty eyes, he'd say, wasn't it for their color. The color was just too odd; shades of grey, blue and green were in there, but were all faded. Their glow resembled a bit the eyes of a walker, although they weren't as dead. He leaned closer and stared at her. "You see something?"

She chuckled and nodded, narrowing her eyes at him.

Offended she took him for a fool, he grabbed her by the arm and pinned her against the wall near the door, pressing his left forearm above her chest with considerable force. "Ain't got time for this. You screw with me like that again, I'll throw a walker or two in here and leave you to it."

He still detected no fear in her strange eyes, nor on her face. She didn't drop her stick either as he shoved her against the wall; he did take notice of that. Under his grip her body felt soft and she gave no resistance. He pressed harder. "The way I see it right now…I'm your only chance of getting out of here in one piece. So I'd be careful with what comes out of your mouth next."

She adjusted her glasses, setting them firmly on the top of her head. Then she reached towards his face. With the bow in one hand and with the other arm across her chest, he couldn't stop her. He arched back and for a brief moment she stopped, but then she continued and soon he felt her touch on his face. His heart skipped a beat, but he did not flinch. He never flinched; Merle taught him that with his surprise slaps.

She passed her hand very gently over his cheek, forehead, nose and mouth. He had to admit, it felt good. Despite her hand being cold, her touch felt like the softest piece of cotton. It's been long since he felt such gentleness on his flesh. When he realized he almost closed his eyes, he removed his forearm and caught her by the wrist.

"How did you get here?"

"Please, let me feel your face."

"Who locked you in?"

"Look, I didn't lie to you before, I really am blind, well…sort of. It's the light…it hurts my eyes. I see nothing if the light is too strong. Please just let me…" She stretched her fingers towards his face.

He hesitated, but at the end, he released her wrist. She leaned closer and he heard her inhale deeply.

"Your smell... no fear….and the strength….huh….oh, and you want to fuck me just now."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" He should break away, leave her to rot here, kill her perhaps. Her calmness was unnerving; he should not take the risk.

Usually, he thought and did the same, there was no disagreement between his body and mind, but now these thoughts suddenly felt like mere suggestions his body easily dismissed. He did nothing, not even when she put her lips on his. He let his guard down willingly and he didn't care, for the first time in a long time. His flashlight and the bow dropped from his hand to the floor as he embraced her face and kissed her slowly, gently, savoring the moment with the patience he never knew he possessed. As he finally detached from her lips, he stared at her face and traced his finger down her scar, over the odd eyes. He wanted to stop there, but she pulled him by the belt towards her and as her body pressed against his, he couldn't hold back anymore. He opened his belt, unbuttoned his pants and started pulling hers down at the same time. She put her arms around his neck and they both fell against the wall.

It surprised him how much he wanted it. He didn't care her stick tapped awkwardly over his back, each time he thrusted into her. He didn't care she still had the stick in her hand, while he let go of his bow. He didn't care for the growling sound outside the cell.

"Don't worry…"she whispered as the growls grew louder. "We have time…don't stop…"

Even if she didn't say that, he'd continue. He felt whatever wrath came down on him right now, it could be postponed.

Exhausted he buried his face against her neck and breathed shallowly, feeling the air from her lips on his neck. His body and hers, that was all there was, everything else, including the growls and scratching on the cell door was an inaudible background in that moment.

From the corner of his eye he caught skinless fingers, reaching through the gap of the heavy iron door. He remembered he never closed them properly. The gap widened and a face with no eyes and a mouth full of teeth pushed through.

Where was already his bow? It didn't matter, he could always use his knife. He considered it all in a very leisurely manner, as if he had an extremely annoying chore to do. He wanted just one more minute at his disposal. It's been so long since he felt such a pleasant exhaustion. Things were about to get awkward soon enough and then killing a walker was going to be a good excuse to avoid that after talk. But those skinless fuckheads wouldn't grant him that minute and he had to protect her.

Wait, what? Did he just say that? He frowned at the thought which creeped so naturally and with such ease into his mind. He needed to kill that walker, sure, but he certainly had no duty towards her.

Hardly a minute passed since the walker decided to squeeze himself through the gap, yet he experienced that short amount of time like an eternity, seconds broken down into milliseconds. Her hands were still wrapped around his neck and he didn't want her to let go. He leaned with one hand on the wall and buttoned up his pants with the other. It was an impossible position for him to prick the brains of the walker so he detached from her just enough to gain some space, while still allowing her to keep her hands around him. He was aware he was pushing the time limits. The bastard already sacrificed the skin on his neck to stick his ugly face through the gap closer to them and began heavily grinding his teeth.

If all that was happening in a slow motion, what followed next was like a fast forward. He felt a movement of her arms over his back, heard a wooshy sound of a metal, and suddenly saw a shining blade, flashing in front of his eyes, in-between his and her face. It's point thrusted into the walker's head. Her eyes were closed as she extracted the blade and sheathed it back into the wooden stick. He arched back, reaching with his right hand for the knife at his belt, when a sharp pain spread in the area of his groin. He scrunched and fell down.

Wriggling on the floor from the pain, he reached towards her while she was dressing up. She jumped away the moment his fingers touched her and at the same time her wooden stick, or whatever the hell that was, connected with his right temple. His head started buzzing and his vision became blurred. It took him all the strength not to faint, and that was pretty much all he managed to do. The pain in his head and balls paralyzed him.

His flashlight was rolling around on the floor somewhere behind him. He could see her tapping her stick at the corner, pulling out a rucksack and stuffing something into it. She threw it over her shoulder and at a precautionary distance walked past him to the exit without stumbling even once. The walker fell down as she opened the door. She half stepped over his mutilated body, when she suddenly paused and turned back to him.

He stared at her, feeling like a helpless shit. This one was on him. He allowed for this to happen. When he saw her moving closer, he was ready. He'll block her sword with his bare hands. He still had a knife, somewhere. The mind was working, but body did not respond.

To his surprise she only kicked his bow and his flashlight in his direction. "You have about five minutes before a large group of Zeds gets here. "

He chuckled and grimaced from pain at the same time. Did she say zeds? He never heard that one before.

"Go left from this cell, there are no more than two in that direction. I'll clear it for you."

She'll clear it for him. He pursed his lips and pinned his eyes on hers, wondering if she can feel the ferocity of his stare. Those multi shade, faded eyes seemed to gaze right through him.

She opened her mouth to say something else, but changed her mind. She seemed to be contemplating about something, and she took her time. All the while he was lying on the floor with one hand on his crotch. It couldn't be more awkward.

"Umm, sorry about that," she finally uttered. She flashed him a stupid smile before she jumped over the walker and left the cell.

His head was light and as the echo of her steps slowly faded away, he almost sank into darkness. He stubbornly shook his head and hit with it a couple of times against the wall. The pain awaken him, besides, he was just too pissed to faint. He pushed himself against the wall and tried to stand up. After the third attempt he succeeded. He stumbled around the cell, kicking at the empty cans and bottles she left behind. With a few deep breaths he steadied himself. His sense of coordination returned and he squat down to pick the bow and the flashlight. He didn't care about her warning, how the fuck would she know anyway. All he knew was that it could not end like this. Not like this.

When he stepped out of the cell, he heard unsteady steps, the roaming, moaning and roaring coming from his right, from the dark part of the corridor he failed to explore earlier. He sighed, she had a lucky guess. Then something else occurred to him. She told him to go left, she went left, and left is where he came from.

He started to run. The walkers behind him will have to wait. Right now, a much more pressing matter than an approaching horde worried his mind. She will come across Rick and the others, and there is almost no chance that encounter won't go terribly wrong.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading. Let me know your opinions!**


	2. Chapter 2

2.

Daryl slid the barred door open, entered and immediately closed it back. He paused and took a deep breath. He made it, finally. He lost quite some time by taking, what he thought it would be a shortcut. Some tracker he was, he scoffed. Then again, this already proved not to be his best day. He should be grateful the lock on that door was weak enough to give way with just one kick. Otherwise, he'd have to go all the way back and waste even more time.

She stayed true to her word. He did find two dead walkers, each with one neat stab in their skulls, in the corridor below. She made it to the exit, but after that there were at least three directions she could have taken towards the upper floors. Didn't matter, all he needed to do was to get to the others before she did.

He lost what, 15, 20 minutes chasing that stupid shortcut? Now it was all about where she went and how fast. How fast can a blind chick be, anyway? The thought should have comforted him somehow, but it didn't.

The block he entered was quiet. It looked like everyone was out, doing their usual stuff. Unless…

Somebody was approaching him from behind. He turned quickly, lifting his bow up and aimed.

"Geez, Daryl!"

It was only Beth, with the baby. "Damn it, what are you doin sneaking up on me like that?"

"Wasn't sneaking," She came closer and smiled at him.

She smiled at him a lot lately, for no particular reason. He felt awkward about it.

Her deer-like eyes fixed on his. "You look….a bit off. Is something wrong? "

He shook his head. "No, nothin's wrong. Where's Rick?"

"He was just looking for you. They caught some intruder."

"What? When?" Shit! He was too late.

"I'm not sure, I wasn't-"

"Is everyone okay?"

"As far as I know, yes. They told me to stay here because of Judith. But….Daryl... Daryl… wait, where are you going?"

He stormed out of the block. Since Lori's death, Rick was not quite himself, especially when it came to outsiders. He certainly couldn't blame him for that. Shit, he should have got back earlier.

He was about to enter the part of the prison, where they usually detained intruders, when Rick, Maggie and Glenn came out of it. They seemed in a hurry.

"I was looking for you, Daryl." Rick placed his hand on his shoulder and pushed him along with him. "There's been a breach. Come!"

Fuck. He could hardly ask the questions now.

Glenn and Maggie went ahead to check the other side of the courtyard. He stayed behind with Rick. He didn't see any fresh blood on him.

"Heey, you checking me out?" Rick frowned.

"Yeah right, you wish."

Rick shook his head and chuckled. They ran to the next building and hid behind the corner.

"Beth told me we have a guest?" he asked, as casually as possible.

Rick peered around the corner, gripped the rifle and tilted his head a little. "Yeap…" Biting his lower lip he took the aim. "We dealt with it…"

Daryl leaned with his back against the wall, the bow suddenly felt very heavy in his hands. For Rick, dealing with meant lately only one thing.

"Daryl…hey,Daryl," whispered Rick and gave him a nudge. When he got his attention, he jerked his head toward the corner.

They changed positions and he took a look too. More than five less than ten, coming their way. He stepped out of the corner and started shooting. He heard Rick shouting something behind him but the meaning of his words never reached him. His arrows took out four of them before he got close enough to use his knife on the remaining five. It was all over in the next two minutes.

He began to retrieve his arrows from the decaying corpses. Rick joined him, checked through walkers first, then looked at him. "Something you want to tell me?"

The arrow just snapped in his hands as he tried to pull it out. "Nothin to tell you, man. "

"You could have waited."

"I could," he muttered. So could you.

He regretted his attitude immediately. He'd be crazy to resent Rick over a stranger. Rick was his bro. He squinted up at him and smiled. "Felt good, though."

Rick grinned and gave him a tap on the shoulder.

"All clear over there…" Maggie came running, with Glenn right behind her. "I see you boys had some fun."

"Well, Daryl did," remarked Rick.

"Oh, poor Daryl, I guess all these days of peace snuck up on you, didn't they?" joked Maggie.

He shrugged and took a cigarette from his pocket.

"So," Maggie turned to Rick. "What do we do about our intruder?"

Hi froze with the lighter in his hand. The cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth almost fell as his lips slightly parted.

Keep it together, dammit. He closed his lips tight, clicked the lighter a few more times, till it produced a flame, and lit the cigarette. He took a long drag and glanced sideways at Rick. "Thought you took care of that."

"We did. She's tied up, locked in the cell…ready for questioning. Wait till you see her, she's somethin else that one."

* * *

 **So, what you think of the story so far? Any reviews, comments, speculations are most welcome! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

3.

Daryl walked in last, after Maggie, Glenn and Rick. Michonne joined them too. He didn't know what to expect, so he decided to stay on the low. He told them nothing yet about his encounter below the prison. He wanted to see how things stood first. Might not be even her they captured.

He kept as far back as he could and assessed the situation. It was her, no doubt about it. She was tied to a chair in the middle of the room. A beam of sunlight from a barred window shone directly upon her. Her arms were bent backwards and ankles tied together. A piece of white cloth was tied around her mouth, stained with blood that dripped from her nose. Her white face was bruised. Her eyes were closed and she had no sunglasses on her.

She jerked back and forth on the chair violently, shaking her head and howling indistinctive sounds. Frank was standing in front of her. He grabbed her by the chin.

Daryl cursed silently. Frank was the worst possible choice to leave with a prisoner, especially a woman. He hated that bastard. He was as unpredictable as Merle, but much more insecure and because of that meaner. The sad thing was, it was he that brought Frank to the group. He insisted they take him in when they found him by the road. 'Cause he was a part of the old gang; Merle, Rory, Frank and he, they were together back in the days, so he felt like he owed him. He regretted it ever since.

Frank slapped her hard. "Stop whining!"

His fingers clenched around the bow. Right now he could easily shoot an arrow through that bastard's hand. If he hits her one more time…

His fingers relaxed again when Rick step in. "Why don't you go and check the fence, Frank?" Although it sounded like a question it was clear Rick was not asking.

"The bitch kept making noise, she almost broke the chair."

"I'll deal with her," said Rick calmly, looking Frank straight in the eye.

"Fine, deal with her then." Frank spit to the floor and headed towards the door. "I'll be back later… to keep an eye… so she don't do somethin stupid."

He stepped on Frank's way just before the exit.

"Heey, kid, wassup?"

For Frank he was always the kid, Merle's little brother.

"Lots of blood on you…had some fun, I see?"

Frank grinned at first, flashing his uneven teeth, but very quickly understood Daryl's calm, focused stare. He understood what it meant, and he got nervous.

"You wanna move, kid?"

He didn't move.

"Hey, what the fuck's you problem?" A vein bulged over Frank's left temple.

He saw Michonne nearing. Others began to stare. He drew too much attention.

"Hmm." He scoffed and moved from the door.

"You be careful, kid." Frank left with a prolonged warning look at him.

He couldn't care less about his threats. The days he had to obey Frank and Merle, the days Frank got to treat him like shit, were long gone.

Rick untied the cloth around her mouth. Her head fell forward and she was breathing heavily.

"Where did you find her?" he whispered to Glenn.

"She stumbled upon Rick and Michonne, just outside the second block. She must have come from one of the corridors we haven't checked yet."

"She said anything?"

Glen shook his head. "She tried to escape, apparently she's quite agile with a stick." Glenn pointed his finger at the table. There was her rucksack, sunglasses and the stick. He wondered if they already figured it out it wasn't just a stick.

"But Rick took her out eventually. They just finished tying her up, when the breach happened. We think, she might be blind. Her luck in a way." Glenn's eyes turned at Rick. "Might be as well the only reason he took pity on her."

"Who are you? How did you get inside the prison?"

She murmured something in-between her sobs. Rick bent his knees, bringing his face level with hers. "I won't ask again."

Just fuckin answer, Daryl pleaded her in his mind.

She did answer. With a headbutt at Rick's nose. Rick fell backwards while she somehow tipped her chair and threw herself with it on the top of him. It was a desperate attempt, destined to fail. Michonne and Maggie, who were the closest, jumped on her and pulled her off Rick. Once the chair was upright again, with Michonne and Maggie holding it firmly down, she gave way to a laugh alternating with sobbing, that carried a hysterical edge. "Give me my glasses!" she cried out with anger. Then her head dropped again. "Just give me my glasses." This time her words were uttered in a quiet and resigned manner.

Her pleading, broken voice stirred something in him. He knew this was going to end badly.

Rick got up, his eyes watery from the strike. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, then took a knife from his belt and pushed it against her neck.

He had to intervene. Had to act fast. It would be all over if he didn't.

"Rick…" He said calmly, placing his hand on Rick's armed arm.

"Come on, Rick…" He dangled the black sunglasses in front of him. "Lets' find out what she knows."

He saw she lifted her head at the sound of his voice, but he kept his focus on Rick. His knife was still at her throat and there was that mad glow in Rick's eyes.

"He's right, Rick," said Glenn. "We have full control here, there's no danger-"

"There's always a danger!" Rick burst out, looking at the faces around him.

He was in full readiness. He would kick her chair backwards then restrain Rick, if things went down that way.

It was a huge relief for everybody, but even more so for him, when Rick removed the knife.

"I leave it to you. She doesn't speak till the end of the day…" Rick said it in his face.

Daryl nodded. He understood.

Glenn and Maggie left with Rick, only Michonne remained. She checked through her stuff at the table, turned the rucksack inside out. A few cans dropped out, two bottles of water, a jacket, a box of matches and a Swiss knife.

"Glenn said she's blind?"

Michonne shrugged, flipped the smooth, white oak stick in her hands and made a few strikes with it in the air. "Can't say for doesn't fight like she's blind. She's agile with the stick, made a few good moves, almost broke my arm with it."

Yeah, he knew that already. He turned to her, passed his palm in front of her shut eyes, but there was no reaction. She emitted a short sigh as he pushed her chin up and held it that way. He put the sunglasses on her face and adjusted them over her eyes. Her breathing normalized and she seemed to have calmed down.

He needed Michonne to go. Before she started talking.

"Hey, Michonne… if you wanna-"

"Huh, just look at this!" Michonne exclaimed and extracted a blade from the stick with a victorious smile. "I knew there was more to it."

He came closer, took the blade from her hand and examined it, as if it was new to him too. It was curved just a bit, with one cutting edge. He wasn't an expert, but he could see the high quality of it.

"Nice piece," he said. "You should take it to Rick."

"Hmm, if it was a bit bigger, I'd keep it..." She took it from his hands and sheathed it. "You'll be okay here on your own?"

"Mhmm…"

He was finally left alone with her. He took another chair, turned it around and leaned on the top of its back. He took a cigarette and lit it. For a while he just stared at her. She sat immovable and didn't say a word.

He blew out the smoke. "You know me?"

She moved slightly her head, downwards to the right.

The smoke twirled up in the air from the cigarette, as he waited for her answer. He took another drag. "I know you know me. What's your name?"

Her left cheek swell considerably, while her other side with the scar stayed intact. She had a bump on her forehead and he noticed bruises on her arms as well. Her attacking Rick like that was a very stupid thing to do.

"Look, you have to talk."

Time was running out and at any moment somebody might return. He stretched his hand towards her and lifted her glasses up. She moved her head nervously, but then opened her eyes and looked at him.

"What the fuck…" He drew back together with his chair. It was a nasty sight. The whites of her eyes were almost all red. When she squinted a few times, he was afraid the blood will come dripping out. Just for a second there, he thought of her as something else, something he'd have to kill, but then her face grimaced in such a sincere pain, he quickly dismissed his initial reaction.

He pushed her glasses back on. "The fuck was that, lady?"

"Don't call me that…" Her voice sounded weak. "Shadow…I need shadow."

He realized then they were sitting right in the brightest spot of the room, directly under the sunlight.

He stood up quickly and dragged her off to the darkest corner there was. He took his red bandana from the back pocket and poured some water on it. He lifted up her glasses and placed it over her eyes. She flinched at first but didn't object. The water started to drip down her cheeks as he gently pressed the bandana on her eyelids.

"Does it help?"

"No." Her lips smiled. "But it's a kind gesture. Can't say I've received much of those lately, so…I appreciate it. Thank you."

He smiled too. She wasn't able to see him anyway.

"Is it because of the sun?"

"Yes."

"You gonna be okay?"

"Yes."

He took the bandana away and put her glasses back on.

"Why didn't you just say so before?"

"When you saw my eyes, all red like this, what was your first thought?"

He didn't answer quite away.

"Right," she chuckled; "that's why. Besides that guy from before was a real asshole. And the one that asked questions, was the same one that knocked me out earlier and tied me up in here. I figured a reasonable discussion might not be exactly their thing."

He sat in front of her again. "We take precaution, that's all."

"Yep, so do I. I'm just in a much worse position."

"If you tell us everything we want to know, I'm sure-"

"You don't get to say this. You're not in charge."

He leaned forward towards her. "I told you before, down in the cell, I was your only chance to get out of it in one piece. It's the same now. But I'll be damned if I let you kick me in the balls again. You get it?"

She folded her lips inwards, looking like she was contemplating about her options.

He waited, observing her patiently.

Drawing in a long breath through her nose, she nodded.

"Good. Now, what's your name?"

"I'm Niko."

* * *

 **Thank you for reading. How's the story so far? Reviews most welcome!**


	4. Chapter 4

4.

NIKO

Since hell broke loose, I've asked myself this question several times, on several occasions: Why the fuck did this happen to me?

I'd usually start off by blaming myself - if I didn't do this, then this wouldn't happen, which in turn wouldn't cause that, and if that hadn't happen I wouldn't be in this shit right now.

But then I always remember the context - the big screwed up world, where my small screw ups have no meaning at all. I could as well compare my decision making with choosing the right sewage canal over the left one. Whichever I take, I'd still find myself walking in shit.

So, it's completely futile to be burdened by the possibility of later guilt, regret, blame or even consequences, when making decisions, as none of it really matters. The world order as it was before is no more.

Deciding faster and intuitively is much closer to the way of survival. And that's the only way that matters now. Sure, we like to take pride in our reason, feelings and values, but I wonder if in current situation, one has better chances if he leans towards the more animal attributes or towards those of a human?

Even for somebody that studied shit like this, the speed with which society and the values deteriorated into some very basic units and modes of survival was mind blowing.

My choice: quick adaptation, flexibility.

It doesn't always work, though. For example, when somebody like me tries to adapt to a sect of southern religious fanatics from backlands, who possess a deep fear of God and of all ungodly things. They quickly had me marked down for the latter, of course, and left me, correction, locked me, in a cell. They appeased their hypocritical religious guilt by giving me enough food and water to survive for a while, and then they cowardly locked me inside, so that I could not follow them or harm them somehow.

Deep down I knew it would never worked, but being alone was just so hard.

Been stuck here more than a week. I think. It's easy to lose sense of time in this type of place. Didn't hear any Zeds either, up until two days ago. One must have wandered down here by chance.

My supplies will last for another week or so, then I'm fucked.

* * *

Should I thank God or should I say my last prayer? The door is being unlocked.

* * *

An archer, hmm? Shit. Can't see.

Fuck. My luck. It's another fuckin redneck.

It'd be a lot smarter if I behaved a bit nicer to a hostile stranger. It's just the light…it irritates me a lot.

Shouldn't underestimate this one, though. Crude, yes, but no bullshitter. Quick as hell too. Great instincts. No fear but no trust either. He won't let me live.

I could do him some harm, but the way he's going about it, he'd probably catch my blade with his bare hands if necessary. Nope, fighting him upfront, won't do it. Tricking him perhaps, only if I make him lower his guard.

I have to think quickly now, his arm feels pretty heavy over my chest.

There was this study we did on a group of primates. Females copulated with several males during their mating season and it was discovered that those mating partners were less likely to attack the female or her offspring later on, regardless whether they were the actual father or not, and even protected her from other aggressive males.

Great… so this is the solution my instincts pushed into my mind – to mate with him and hope for the best.

No blaming, right? A girl's gotta to do what a girl's gotta to do

He smells strong, fearless…calm but ferocious. An alpha male certainly. He reminds me….

Huh, my touch is puzzling him. I like his face. I guess it'd be best to approach him straight forward. He seems like a man who doesn't care for fancy words much…or any words…

He's holding back, although he smells of desire more than of anything else right now. I'd never expected such shyness….or such gentleness. I thought it'd be rough, that'd he have me from the back, like an animal…. but instead….he's kissing me? Maybe, it's just been very long for him. Anyway, can't afford the nice now, it has to be quick, can't having him changing his mind.

Fuckin zed at the door, we have to hurry up. I decided. I'll definitely go solo. It's a safer option. Can't risk to be locked again or worse.

Soon I'll have him exactly where I want him to be.

* * *

A big group of Zeds approaching from the right. I warned him about them and now I really should leave.

Fuuck. I'm victim of my own indecisiveness. If I continue standing here like a dummy, he'll soon be on his feet and then I'm done.

Dammit….maybe, just maybe it could work out with him? Perhaps he's brave enough to deal with my oddities? Sometimes I feel like anything seems better than being alone.

Naah, he'd probably kill me right here in the cell, I can feel his determination. I mean, he is a redneck and I just hurt his pride considerably. I'd better go and seek my chances elsewhere. In a bigger group, where one can conceal his particularities more efficiently. One on one can be way too intense.

"Umm, sorry about that."

He was not that bad. For a redneck.

* * *

Out of the frying pan into the fire….great job, Niko.

* * *

I feel like thousand needles are stabbing my eyes. My brains are blurry - that's the only way I can describe my current state of mind. I suppose, this might be the end of my road.

One last blame... I should have stayed with the redneck down in the cell. He'd probably kill me, but at least he'd do it without torturing. I'm sure of it. Instead, I'm stuck with this asshole in front of me, and he'll take his time.

Please, somebody put me out.

* * *

He's the one that knocked me out and didn't think twice about it. The way he dismissed that sorry ass of a torturer….. he must be the boss. A man on the edge. Whatever I tell him, will not have much effect. He is practical, I'm just a burden.

I don't really care anymore. My brains are on fire now. Shit. Need the fuckin glasses.

I forgot how much a headbutt can hurt. At least the pain on the forehead quenched the one inside my head.

Oh…the beautiful world, if I could stare at its colors one more time. I think I'm gonna cry.

"Just give me my glasses."

The cold steel on my throat….it should be quick.

Shit, it's him. It's the archer. He belongs to them.

* * *

Did he just save my ass? Did he protect me? After I kicked him in the balls?

The fucking theory works! The problem is I fucked the wrong male. The alpha still wants me dead.

* * *

That damn bitch took my sword. I need to get it back. I need to. It's my only reminder of who I am.

The redneck is kind. He doesn't scare easily. He thought of killing me, sure, when he saw my eyes, but he didn't. Others wouldn't hesitate.

Too bad, it's the other one, Rick, as he called him before, that makes decisions.

Shall I be compliant? Do I trust him?

Who am I kidding? There are no choices; I'm in a sewage maze, with shit reaching right up to my neck. Might as well have a few words with the guy I mated, before I drown.

"I'm Niko."

* * *

 **Thanks, and please, let me know what do you think of the story so far.**


	5. Chapter 5

5.

Daryl was glad she answered. If she didn't, Rick would deal with her, or even worse, they'll leave her to Frank. And he didn't want to see that happen.

"Who locked you in the cell?"

There was a pause and a sigh. "The members of the group I was with."

"Why?"

Her chin dropped downwards.

"It's pretty obvious isn't it?"

"Why?"

She made another heavy sigh. "I guess I was a fuckin burden to them."

He understood their reasoning and yet it angered him.

"Were you with them from the beginning?"

"No…I was alone at first. When I found them, I begged them to take me in."

"And they did so, despite…"

"Yes. I appealed to their religious conscience…you know, to do right in God's eyes…"

"So why they left you behind now?"

"The group was bigger at first, but many got killed along the way. Their ways of doing things were…restricted by their beliefs. I tried to reason with them at first, but I soon realized it's no use to go against the word of God. So I went along, trying to stay alive. The group was getting smaller, till one day it became too small for having somebody like me around."

"How many?"

"How many what?"

"How many were you at the end?"

"Eight, including me."

"How long ago, since they left you here?"

"I don't know dammit…"

"Think!"

"I guess, a week ago or so."

"So, they gave you food, locked you in and let you there for good?"

"Yes."

"How do you know they are not planning to come back?"

"Umm…they told me so… they made it clear they did their duty and it was now up to God what happens with me."

"They had no plans of settling here?"

She shook her head. "They heard of a settlement up north. That's where they're heading. The prison was just a stop on the way. We stumbled upon a back entrance in the woods by chance and decided to spend a night. Next day they decided it was a good place to dump me."

"A back entrance?"

"Yeah, I remember we came through a tunnel of some sort, from the woods."

He needs to check this out, the sooner the better.

"You need to tell me where that entrance is…where exactly did you enter the cell block?"

She didn't answer right away. She turned her face at him, as if she looked him in the eyes. He wondered again, if she sees anything at all.

"I can't remember, but… I'm sure I'd remember once I'm down there."

Smart, very smart. "Forget it."

She shrugged. "Your call, but I bet that horde of zeds that overflowed that corridor below, will only get bigger."

Right, with all that's been going on, he completely forgot about the walkers he left behind. For now the closed door will keep them away, but it was a dangerous thing having so many so close.

"You suggesting they came in from the outside?"

She nodded.

"We'll deal with it."

"I could help you."

"We don't need your help."

"Did you tell them? About ….umm, what happened down there…between me and you?"

It was bound to come up sooner or later. No, he didn't tell and he'd prefer to avoid it all together. He didn't want anyone from his group to know. He couldn't even fully understand it himself. The hell possessed him to do that? But she was no idiot. She'll figure it out it's something she can use to her advantage. He has to play it cool.

She chuckled. "I see, nobody knows."

"Nobody cares."

"Hmm, it's a gentleman's way, but you are no gentleman." She tilted her head to the side. "You don't want others to know. Why?"

"You seem handy with your sword…stick… sword whatever that is…where did you learn that?"

A smug smile appeared on her lips. "What's your name?"

He took another cigarette. "Just answer the question…"

"Yes, I'm good with the sword. Something I learned before the zeds came to be. What's your name?"

"Were you not blind before?"

"Tell me your name."

He puffed out the smoke. "Daryl."

"Well, Daryl, I was blind since I was born. It's, well, not the usual blindness. I told you already, I can see things, just differently than you or others do, and as long as there is no light in my face. So you see, I'm not completely helpless, I was able to do many stuff before, and I can still do it now."

He leaned forward, closer to her face.

"Do you see me now?"

"Yes."

"How exactly?"

"Would be no use explaining it."

"So you can fight, you can see enough to get by, as long as you have glasses. And your eyes explode or somethin, if you happen to lose them on a sunny day? "

She smiled. "Well, more like my brains and it's not just the sunlight."

He took another drag and chuckled. "Why do I get the feeling, you're just screwing with me?"

"You're suspicious, it's normal-"

"No," he shook his head and took on a serious tone. "It's not just that….it's more like you have an agenda…"

"I don't, I really…I could help your group, if you just …." Her words crumbled and she turned her face away from him. "Just let me go, please."

"What?"

"Just take me somewhere far and leave me there. I'll go my own way."

"Can't do that."

"Why not, dammit!" She suddenly pushed forward strongly, moving the legs of the chair with her. "I can't do any harm."

"You can bring somebody back."

She laughed out. "You still don't get it. There's no one who'd listen to a creep like me. I'd be killed or avoided. I'm right up there with the old, the invalid, diabetics… apocalypse is a big no no for us. Wasn't supposed to make it this far."

He stared at her in silence. There was some sad truth in what she said.

"How many walkers have you killed?"

"Walkers?...oh, you mean zeds…That's' how you call them, really?" she frowned. "I killed all that came in my way. "

"How many?"

"I haven't exactly kept count…"

"How many people have you killed?"

"Before or after the zeds?"

Shit, this was not a reply, he was hoping for. "Both."

"Two before. None after."

"Why did you kill them?"

"Why should I tell you?"

"If you don't-"

"It was them or me."

He took one last drag from the cigarette, flipped it to the ground and crushed it with his foot. It didn't look good. She had that air about her that just screamed trouble. And she was holding something back, probably thinking he's too stupid to notice.

If he tells Rick his true opinion about her, Rick will kill her. He himself had all the reasons to kill her now. Nobody would blame him. But something deep inside was preventing him from doing that. Or letting others to do it.

The fuck was wrong with him, he was never so hesitant in all his life.

"Hey, kid…" the voice came from the door. "I came to relieve you of your duty."

Shit, the last thing he needed right now.

She jerked forward in her chair. "Daryl, please… I'll do and say whatever you want, just please, stay with me."

Hearing her saying his name, pleading him in hushed, desperate voice… there was nothing more he wanted than to reassure her. He just couldn't utter the words.

He already knew where this situation was heading. Trouble, she was definitely trouble.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading. Hoping to see more reviews. It's nice to get some feedback. :)**


	6. Chapter 6

6.

Frank was a man of sturdy built, restless, dark eyes, a crooked nose, and a rough face. His right arm was covered in tattoos. A pinky and a ring finger were missing on his left hand. He always had a kukri stashed at his belt. His temper was as bad as his appearance. He believed himself tough, but he was just a ranting bully, overly aggressive with those weaker than him and a coward when confronted with a real danger. Daryl knew his true face since long before the walkers and saved his sorry ass on few occasions. The truth was, Frank was nothing without Merle. Daryl knew that and this was one of the reasons Frank hated him.

Frank caused many troubles since they took him in. Sure, he was another muscle hand but his harassment of some of the women in the group was becoming disturbing and Daryl always had to keep an eye on him. After all he brought him in and despite the idea of kicking him out of the group crossed his mind more than a few times, getting rid of Frank was not easy, especially now, that Merle was back. He realized, though, the situation at hand might soon become a turning point in their relationship.

"Go away, Frank. I'm handling the matter," Daryl grunted, his eyes on Niko. Nope, he ain't gonna leave her.

"I just came here to help ya, kid. You two are hiding in some fine shady little corner here. Wanna keep her all for yerself?

"Rick told me to question her."

"That's no reason uncle Frank can't have some fun too."

Frank walked behind Niko's chair. Daryl followed him with a calm stare.

"What yar getting so upset about, kid. Men like us should share spoils of war. I mean look at this face…" He pulled up Niko's glasses, grabbed her by the chin and twisted her face upwards. "Right to my taste… so damaged, but still pretty…" He slid his three finger hand over her shoulder onto her breasts. He grinned, exposing his crocked teeth at Daryl.

Daryl felt the adrenaline rush hitting him from head to foot. He knew this feeling well. A part of him will shut down and he'd turned into something else, something that cannot be stopped.

He charged at Frank from his chair and punched him in his face with such force Frank stumbled backwards into the wall and fell down. He didn't stop there. He went after him and started to beat the shit out of half-conscious Frank.

Niko was the trigger, but it was also about everything else, from Frank's recent behavior toward Beth and Carol to the way he treated him, when he was still a kid in Merle's gang.

When Frank reached for his kukri, he grabbed his index finger and flipped it back. A cracking sound was heard and Frank cried out. Daryl kept hitting, until somebody grabbed him from behind and started pulling him away.

Michonne and Glenn tried to contain him, but it was only when Carol stepped in front of him and pressed her hand on his chest, that he calmed down. He shook off the grip of Glenn and Michonne and began pacing like a caged animal, but didn't go past Carol.

"Let me kill that bastard."

"No," said Carol quietly, pressing her hand lightly on his shoulder. "Not here." She looked at Frank, then back at him again. "What happened?"

He was too furious to answer. He just shook his head and continued to pace.

Rick seeing Frank all bloody scrambling to his feet in the corner of the room, walked up to Daryl. "We don't need this right now."

"He deserved it."

"I'm sure he did, but going against someone of the group like this it's a bad thing to do." Rick was persistent with his stare. "You wanted him in, now he's part of this group. The intruder isn't."

Daryl scoffed. "Right."

"Michonne, accompany Frank to Hershel…"

Michonne gave Rick a displeased look and shoved Frank towards the door. He began shouting some indistinctive insults, but she made sure he remained far enough from Daryl.

"Hey, Frank….if I find you in here again, you'll stay here for good."

"Oh yeah? Fuck you, Rick…and you, kid, we'll see what Merle has to say about this, when he gets back."

Michonne gave him a jab in the ribs with her sword. "Keep walking, asshole."

"You okay?" Carol reached with her hand towards Daryl's face.

He was still too edgy for a touch, even from Carol. He backed away.

"The woman, I'll deal with her alone. She's not worth the trouble," said Rick and headed towards Niko.

Daryl went after him immediately and pulled him to the side. "She gave some information, it's worth to check out." He spoke quietly so others couldn't hear him. "We still need her."

"What information?"

"She said there are walkers, several of them…. in a corridor below. Might be another entrance we missed."

"She might be lying."

"She ain't."

"What makes you so sure?"

Oh, he was sure, all right. He saw them with his own eyes. Couldn't tell Rick though. "We wastin time. Walkers can break in. We should check it out."

"Do we really need her? We can check it ourselves."

"It's a fackin maze down there."

Rick was hesitating. "What's your plan here, Daryl? We can't keep her…she's blind…she's…" He leaned closer to him. "She's a liability...he already have a baby, and an old man without a leg."

"She's not so helpless and I….I'll take care of her."

Rick snorted. "You kiddin me?" His hands on his hips he turned to Niko then to Daryl again. "Did you ask her the questions?"

"Mh-mmm."

"And?"

"It's fine."

"Anyone with her?"

"Not anymore."

Rick shook his head and turned his stare to the floor. "Don't know…something about her rubs me the wrong way."

Daryl got nervous. He could go against Frank, but to go against Rick was a whole other thing.

"Frank will not swallow it down…"

"Fuck that bastard!"

"What…You'll take care of him too?"

"I can deal with him."

"I know you can. I sure wanted to many times. But right now, he and your brother, are a useful pair of hands and this, " he pointed his finger at Niko; "this will add fuel to the fire. Killing her right now, would be a good decision. You know that." Rick narrowed his eyes at him. He was fishing for approval but Daryl wouldn't give it.

"Why do you care so much, Daryl?"

Daryl pulled back and averted his stare. "I don't . It just doesn't feel right, man. Killin her off… to make things more comfortable…"

They both went silent for a moment. Rick walked towards Niko and took out his knife. Daryl tensed up.

"I can help… I'll do as you ask of me," said Niko calmly. Her glasses were still up on her forehead and her eyes shut.

"Daryl says you met some walkers inside the prison?"

"Yes."

"Where?"

"I don't know how to tell you, but if you take me to the place where you caught me, I can lead you back to them."

Rick looked at Daryl once more, pursed his lips thoughtfully and squatted down. He cut the ropes on her ankles and on her wrists too. He pulled her up from the chair, grabbing her by the elbow, and leaned to her ear: "If you try to do anything, anything at all that doesn't comply with what you're told, I'll kill you on the spot. Is that clear?"

She nodded.

Daryl was listening and observing that conversation with every inch of his body.

"I'll need my stick."

"No," said Rick decisively and dragged her along.

"It' a big horde down there. I can be useful too. Please, let me have my stick."

Rick ignored her request and thrust her toward Daryl. "Here. She's your responsibility. Let's go."

Daryl grabbed her roughly, pinned her close to him and pushed her glasses over her eyes. "C'mon."

* * *

They were approaching the corridor. Daryl was walking in front, holding Niko firmly under his grip. He let her lead the way, pretending he didn't know where she was taking them.

Rick kept close to Niko. Daryl knew he'd kill her, if she tried anything. His grip on her arm tightened just at the thought of it.

"What's with the glasses…" asked Rick.

"I have a severe case of photophobia."

"What's that?"

"I'm sensitive to light."

"So you're not blind?"

"Not in the usual sense of the word, no. I can see when sheltered from the light, but not like normal people do. "

Hmm…" Rick looked suggestively towards Daryl. "Any other particularities we should know about you?"

"Nope."

"Careful now…" warned Michonne. She and Glenn were a few steps behind them. They readied their weapons and proceeded with more caution. They entered a previously unexplored area.

Except for Daryl. He knew exactly where they were. The door they were heading towards, was the door that separated them from the horde. They were almost there and Niko still didn't say anything. He started to get worried. Was that her plan, not to warn them at all and let them be swarmed by the walkers once they open the door? He'd not allow that, she must know it, besides what'd she gain from that anyway? Shit, two more steps…he pressed his fingers strongly into her arm.

"This is the place. They're in there," she said and stopped.

Rick put his ear to the door and listened.

"Anything?" asked Glenn.

"No, the door is too thick anyway. Ready?"

Daryl pushed Niko slightly to the back, still holding her firmly, and took his knife in his other hand. Rick released the lock and kicked the door open. They entered cautiously, with slow steps. Their flashlights didn't reveal anything. It was dark, quiet and empty.

They must have wandered further down, thought Daryl to himself.

Rick suddenly snatched Niko from his grip and pushed her forward.

"You go first."

Daryl wanted to object but Rick stopped him with his stare. "She goes in first."

There was no use to argue. That's fine, he'll be right behind her anyway.

With Rick keeping them all back the distance between them and Niko increased. At a certain point she stopped and turned, raising her hand up to protect herself from the beams of the flashlights.

"Go on!" Rick ordered her.

"I will, but give me my stick first."

Michonne was the one carrying Niko's stick. It was Daryl that convinced Rick to take it. Just in case there'll be too many walkers, he told him. He knew already there will be and he didn't want Niko to stay unarmed.

"If you're sending me to die, at least have the courtesy to give me a weapon. "

When Rick didn't react, Daryl turned to Michonne to take the stick from her, but Michonne was quicker and already slid it on the floor towards Niko. It made a loud, clattering noise, which could easily attract walkers. Daryl saw it in Michonne's eyes, she did it on purpose.

It didn't seem to rattle Niko. She picked it up and continued into the darkness ahead in the same, steady pace.

He felt somewhat relieved; at least armed she'll be able to last enough time for him to reach her, when the horde comes.

* * *

 **Thank you! I'll be happy to hear your opinions!**


	7. Chapter 7

7.

The moment Niko stopped Rick gave the sign for them to stop too. Daryl understood. Rick needed to keep that safety distance between them and her, and he was fine with it, because he figured he could kill that distance in a matter of seconds if things went south.

Niko stood still in the middle of the corridor, as if suspended in time, with her back towards them and the stick pointed sideways in her right hand.

"What's the matter?" asked Rick. There was no response.

The beams of their flashlights danced around her, but didn't reveal anything else than an empty darkness ahead.

"Move on!" Rick ordered, pointing his flashlight at the back of her head.

She turned just a little, so they could see her profile, but as soon as the light touched her face she turned away.

A wave of familiar gurgling sound came at them from the darkness. They all looked at each other and readied their weapons.

Daryl aimed his bow, focusing his stare at her. The flashlights revealed gruesome walking bodies. They were clumped together and they were no more than a few steps away from Niko.

So sudden and so many. It was then that things did go south.

Rick hissed a curse at the same moment Niko was overran by walkers and disappeared in their midst.

"We need to go back. There are too many!" shouted Michonne. He saw Rick nodding and lifting his gun upwards, signaling to retreat. They all started at the same time but in different directions. He sprang towards the walkers and the three of them towards the door. He heard Rick shouting his name, but he had no time to turn or to explain. He shot his bow and ran straight into the horde.

He made all his arrows count, but the walkers were too many and he couldn't pick them up fast enough to reuse them again. He discarded the bow and made his way right through the center of the corridor with his knife. It was dark. His eyes adapted, but it didn't help him much. He killed intuitively, on the touch. He heard gun shots, shouts. Mostly shouts of his name, mostly Rick's voice. That idiot, he should have gone back, close the door and deal with them gradually. That's what he'd do too, if Niko wasn't somewhere in the midst of that horde.

As long as there was a chance, he had to go after her. Pretty stupid, yeah, but not going after her didn't even cross his mind.

He tried to find her, but with all the walkers and lack of light, he could only see what was right in front of him. He was pushed against the wall, fighting them off one by one. He was cut from the rest of the group and saw no end to the horde, which flowed in from the other side. He was getting tired. He had already killed a bunch of walkers earlier. He was lucky some of the walkers at least were more attracted to the gun shots than to him. Soon enough, though, they will be too many, no matter what.

Chasing after a girl, what a pathetic end of him. Merle will laugh his ass out. He grunted angrily and charged at the walkers again. He heard Rick's voice somewhere near and turned in its direction. Big mistake. A walker came right at him from the front and he had to use both of his hands to prevent him from taking a bite of his neck. He pushed his fingers deep into the thing's throat and grabbed at his brains from below. He killed him, but he also dropped his knife in the process.

He immediately went down on all four and started looking for the knife, tapping eagerly with his hand on the floor. He looked up for just a moment and saw he was encircled. Arms were grabbing toward him, he broke a few and tore some of them, but the situation was getting quite impossible. If only he…well, she's probably food by now, and he will become one as well really soon.

The walkers above him suddenly started dropping, one by one, as if all their skulls were hit by a single bullet that flew in a circle. Somebody pulled him up and pushed his knife into his hand. He found himself standing back to back with that somebody. He couldn't afford to look, he had to fend off the walkers on his side, but he knew it was Niko. He felt her weight leaving his back from time to time, he heard some slashing and then he felt her against his back again. They persisted, made a clearing, but the walkers kept coming.

"Go towards that cell!" she told him.

"Okay….just stay with me!"

They moved slowly, keeping back to back, until they reached the cell. He slid the door open and went in. A walker appeared from the inside and he killed him. He heard the door closing behind him, and turned quite relived, thinking luck must really be on his side today, until he saw Niko standing on the other side of the cell.

"What the…" He grabbed at the bars and tried to pull the door but it was locked. He shook it with force. "The fuck…. open it!" he growled.

She slashed a few walkers down just in front of the cell and disappeared amongst them again.

"No! Fuck!" He kicked and banged on the door with all his might. It attracted walkers and soon tens of rotten arms tried to grab him through the bars. He started cutting the limbs and killing those at the door, to get some view. It didn't help much. He killed off some more, then put the knife in his mouth and tried to reach the outside latch. He twisted his arm desperately, knowing there was no way this would work, it was a cell after all, but he had to try something. Eventually it came to pulling his arm back in or losing it to walkers.

He took a quick look at the room and grabbed at the iron frame of a bed with the intent to push it to the door, step on it and get some view of what was happening behind all those walkers that now pressed against the door of his cell. But the frame was fixed to the ground and there was nothing else in the cell.

He cursed and paced around like a furious animal. There was nothing he could do but wait. He sat on the floor, just enough away from the door so that the walkers could not reach him, and stared blankly at the growling dead faces.

He couldn't come up with any reasonable explanation for her doing. Even with his help the odds of getting out of this alive were quite low, but alone…and to lock him in like this…He swore to himself, if she somehow got away, he'll track her down and then…He realized he was shaking his head and trembling from anger and frustration.

The walkers outside the cell seemed to start forming quite a pile. Those in second or third line from the door collapsed over the very first row of walkers. He jumped up and killed those at the door, realizing the ones that piled up on them were already killed. He pulled himself up on the bars with his hands and saw flashlights. He saw Rick, and Michonne was not far behind him. He also saw there were more walkers lying on the ground now than standing.

He kicked some of the dead bodies away from his door, lowering the pile a little, so that he could see over it.

"Rick!" he cried out and banged on the door.

"Daryl?" Rick flashed his light around the corridor.

"Over here… in the cells!"

Finally the beam caught his face.

"Let me out, Rick…come on!"

It took Rick a moment to realize it really was Daryl. He made his way to him, slashing another two walkers on the way. He stepped on the top of several bodies to reach the latch.

"How the hell did you end up in here?" Rick pushed the latch but nothing happened. It was stuck.

"Rick, watch out...behind you! "

A walker fell upon Rick and they started to wrestle before Daryl's eyes. Rick grabbed him by the shoulders, turned and smashed his body against the cell door, while Daryl thrusted the knife in his brains. They barely gave each other a nod of acknowledgement, when Daryl's stare warned Rick more were coming.

Rick tried to push the latch again, but it still wouldn't slide. The walkers were too close, he had to move away from the cell and deal with them first.

"Fuck…dammmit! "Daryl punched against the bars angrily, causing his knuckles to bleed. He barely noticed it, certainly didn't feel it. What he did feel was an immense frustration as he watched his friend getting assaulted by the walkers from behind the bars. Rick was having a hard time, he could tell that much.

"Hold on, Rick!" he called out. "Michonne! Glenn!

One walker grabbed Rick by the shoulders and he couldn't shake him off. He stabbed with his knife backwards at him several times, but always missed the brain. Another two were coming at him and Daryl watched in horrifying expectation Rick's impossible struggle.

The two walkers heading toward Rick suddenly fell down revealing Niko's silhouette behind them. An instant later he saw her stabbing the one holding Rick as well. She quickly moved on to the next three walkers coming at them, taking them out with a single stab through their brains. She moved lightly and killed with utmost efficiency. Daryl had to admit, it looked easy, too easy almost. She made some space, allowing Rick to recuperate. More walkers came and they both started to kill then.

The growling sounds of walkers gradually quieted down. Daryl saw Michnonne and Glenn fighting their way towards Rick and Niko. Soon they all stood in a circle and took down the remaining walkers as they come at them, until the corridor fell silent.

"There's no more of them… " said Niko and swung her sword to the side, removing blood from the blade. She squatted down at the nearest walker and started to poke him, until she tore a small piece of cloth from him.

"How can you tell?" asked Michonne holding her katana up.

Niko shrugged, wiped the rest of the blood from her sword and sheathed it.

Michonne gave her a wary look and slowly lowered her katana. Rick and Glenn did the same with their knives.

Daryl hit the bars once again. "Let me the fuck out of here."

They all looked at him, Rick flashing his light directly at his face. Michonne and Glenn were trying to suppress their laughs.

"Asshole… just open the fuckin door!"

Rick turned to Niko and pointed in Daryl's direction. "Why did you do that? "

Daryl was eager to hear her answer too, but even more so he wanted to get out of the cell, so he banged and kicked at the door repeatedly.

Instead of replying Niko started to examine her white t-shirt, which was not really white anymore, and picked off two chunks of something which belonged inside a body.

"Fine," Rick nodded to himself. "How'd you do all that, with…" he raised his finger at her face. "Do you see in the dark?"

Niko smirked. "I don't need to see, I feel it. If you wait until you see it, it's usually too late."

"Rick, god dammit!" Daryl's voice impatiently resonated through the corridor.

"Yeah , yeah…" said Rick and headed towards the cell, while Michonne and Glenn took a walk among the bodies and pricked the skulls of those they were not sure were dead for good.

Daryl observed Niko through narrowed eyes as Rick was loosening the latch.

With his hand ready to slide the door open, Rick grinned. "You might wanna step back. We're letting Daryl out."

* * *

 **Thanks for reading. Let me know what you think!**


	8. Chapter 8

8.

"What'd you do that for?" Daryl came at Niko as soon as Rick pushed the door open.

"You mean, why I saved your ass?"

"I didn't ask you to save my ass."

She shrunk at his intense staredown, making small steps backwards as he kept pressing onto her. "But I-"

"That was one fucked up thing to do, lady."

"Well I'm sorry if I-" She stumbled backwards over a body.

"I don't give a damn about how sorry you are. The fuck were you thinking anyway?"

"I thought it was better-"

"Better what? Better for me to watch my friend getting torn to pieces and not being able to do shit about it?"

"It all played out well didn't it?"

They were nearing the wall. He could see she was trying to stand her ground, but her talking back felt like useless barking of one of those tiny, fancy dogs.

"Fuckin more luck than brains, that's how it played out."

He had her against the wall. He didn't even touch her, but he saw she gave in. She averted her head. "I just wanted to help…"

He slammed his palm against the wall close to her face and looked into her glasses really close. "It wasn't your call to make!"

Noticing the others were all staring at him, he scoffed and walked away, giving vent to his anger by kicking and stamping at walkers' bodies.

"Daryl…..Daryl!" Rick called out.

"What?" He answered with an obvious annoyance.

"About that entrance…"

"Mh-mmm," he grunted and searched around some more till he found his bow. He put it over his shoulder and walked back to Niko, who stood by the wall all quiet. He grabbed her roughly by the elbow and pulled her toward him. "Tell us where!"

"Ow…"She rebelled a little, which made him grip her even stronger. She pointed at the other end of the corridor. "It's that way."

"Do you think it's safe?" asked Michonne and took the stick from Niko's hands.

"Safer than before," he replied.

"C'mon. " He dragged her along with no consideration for her hesitant steps. The fury inside him didn't quite settle yet.

* * *

He was quiet all the way, so was Niko. It was down to body language between them. Instead of speaking out the directions she rather pointed at or pulled him towards them, where it was necessary. At times she shook her arm to remind him he was holding her too strong. He'd release his grip a little. He didn't want to hurt her, he just wanted to make sure she won't slip away again. The tension that lingered between them seemed to have transferred to the rest of the group as well and they proceeded through the corridors in silence. They didn't encounter a single walker on their way.

Niko led them through an old underground security tunnel, which, judging by the decaying walls, was dug quite some time ago. It must have served as an emergency exit or as an additional access point, either way, it looked long forgotten. There were stairs at the end of it, leading upwards to a round opening, covered with an iron net. The net was half bent, allowing for a single person to pass through. Pieces of flesh and intestines were stuck on its sharp edges.

"I guess that makes it clear where they entered," said Glenn, who climbed the stairs first and dropped on them parts of bowels.

Rick squinted at the light that came from above. "Be careful, there still might be some outside."

After a short while Glenn's head reappeared at the opening. "All safe here."

"You two go, I'll wait here…with her," said Daryl.

"You sure?" asked Rick, eying him with slight suspicion.

"Mh-mmm."

Once alone with her, he pushed her at the wall opposite of him and searched for a cigarette in his pocket. God knows, he needed it. He took a drag, keeping his eyes on her at all times. She didn't say anything, just stood there. He observed her through the smoke; her face was still swollen from earlier and there was a bit of blood on her cheek and her neck, which he presumed was not hers, just as it wasn't the blood, which was all over her t-shirt and jeans. Her skin seemed even whiter and smoother, when contrasted with all the blood.

"Why did you come after me?" she suddenly asked.

"I went after the walkers. That was the plan all along."

She smiled and looked up, towards the opening. "Right."

"Damn right."

Rick climbed down the stairs, while Glenn closed the opening with a wooden lid from above.

"It's inside the woods, but close to the fence. Michonne and Glenn will make sure to hide the entrance properly. It's a good escape route in case we'll ever need one. Your people probably attracted some walkers on their way out and left in a hurry. We found a couple of dead bodies, just by the lid. Looks like ever since walkers were dropping in through the opening. We were lucky to find it and seal it before an even bigger horde gathered," said Rick.

"It's no luck. I told you about it," remarked Niko.

"Yeah, you did." Rick took her by the shoulder and pushed her in front of him. "Walk!"

Daryl threw his cigarette away and went right after him.

"Michonne and Glenn will return through the main door," said Rick and once more pushed Niko, who seemed to be slowing down.

She stumbled but managed to catch herself against the wall. "I see gratitude is not a preferable virtue with you people."

"Well, you get to live another day," retorted Rick. "How's that for gratitude?"

Daryl kept close behind her, vigilant. Rick will let her be. At least for the time being.

* * *

The sun was still strong, when they came out of the block. Niko immediately covered her face with her free hand, her other one being in Daryl's tight grip. The three of them walked across the courtyard toward the detention room.

"I'll take her in and keep an eye on her," Daryl offered, knowing Rick must be tired and probably wanting to check on his kids. There were also several other reasons he didn't want to leave her out of his sight – Niko herself, who could not be trusted, Frank, who surely was preparing some sort of revenge, and even Rick, whose current benevolent mood might suddenly change.

Rick nodded gratefully and they were about to part ways, when they saw Sasha and Tyreese coming their way. They were both loaded with rucksacks and bags and Sasha held a cloth pressed against her face.

"Everything all right? You okay Sasha?" asked Rick.

Tyreese responded instead: "We got the supplies, but had an unpleasant encounter."

Rick stepped closer to Sasha and removed her hand from her face. She had a cut across her cheek, not very deep, but still bleeding quite some.

"I'm fine, it's just a scratch," she said, dismissing Rick's worrisome face.

"Walkers?" asked Rick.

"No, I mean, yeah, there were walkers as well, but we took care of them."

"Men. How many?" asked Daryl.

"Just one. Uhmm, don't worry… he won't be coming this way," said Tyreese quickly.

"You killed him then?"

"No, not exactly-"

"The fuck you mean?"

"Relax, Daryl," said Sasha. "He wasn't interested in us per se. He just wanted some information. Besides, it happened in that ghost town, far enough from here. The main road attracts all kinds of weirdoes. He sneaked up on me in the pharmacy, while we were looking for formula."

"An odd looking guy, dressed like some cowboy from an old western movie, all in black, wearing one of those hats, you know. He was packed with guns and rifles, two across his back. He put a knife to Sasha's face, said he'll cut her eye out if we didn't speak the truth… and that he'll know if we lied. He made a cut into her cheek, just to prove he meant it," added Tyreese, shaking his head. "I'm telling you, I was happy we didn't have to lie to that creep. We told him what he wanted to know and he went his own way, keeping his guns on us till he exited the store. Me and Sasha ran after him, but by the time we got out, he was gone, and all we heard was horse's hooves. We didn't think of pursuing him, we still had to take the supplies-"

"Wait…what did he asked about? What information did he want?" Rick asked eagerly.

"He was looking for a blind woman. And he said, if we saw her or if she's with us, or even if we just heard about her, we better tell him. That's all he wanted to know, he didn't seem to be interested in anything else. We didn't lie, we didn't have to. We don't know of any blind woman," said Sasha.

Daryl met Rick's concerned stare.

Sasha tilted her head to the side, taking only now a good look at the person standing beside Daryl. She repeated her words slowly, looking back and forth between Rick and Daryl: "We don't know of any blind woman, right?"

* * *

 **Thanks for reading. Let me know what you like or don't like about it. :)**


	9. Chapter 9

9.

NIKO

Soon they will see the zeds too. It's probably the best chance I'll get to escape. Everything according to the plan. I even got my sword back.

So what's the problem? The problem is that tiny, persistent voice in the back of my head, telling me to stay.

If I help them with zeds, if I show them the entrance, maybe they see some value in me…They seem…normal…most of them at least. Very suspicious and ready to kill to protect their own, but that counts as normal nowadays. And the archer likes me. He almost killed that jerk because of me.

"Move on!"

Well, the leader, Rick, he's a problem. I'm completely expendable to him.

Let me take one more look…

They all stick together. Even the archer. He saved me before, but I guess that's as far as he's willing to go. It's better I leave.

Here they come. Time to mingle.

* * *

Shit! Is that him? It is him.

He'll manage. Shit. No, he won't.

I could just leave….arrgh…..

I owe him….and …yeah, I owe him.

Huh, I like his style…Not sure he needs my help. He's a killing machine. Wouldn't like to get on the wrong side of you, Daryl…

Something happened…that sounded like…did he just...yup…he dropped it. Okay, time to step in.

Too many zeds. This back to back won't work for much longer. Can't kill them fast enough. They'll get to him. I need to do something. "Go towards that cell!"

"Okay….just stay with me!"

I'd like to, but I can't. It's just easier this way…sorry, again.

My dear dead friends, time to die.

* * *

Hmm, the cavalry has arrived.

Perhaps I should just let Rick die, maybe then the archer could take his place. Naah, he's not the leader type.

"Hold on, Rick!"

Uff, he'll never forgive me if I let this happen.

"Michonne, Glenn!"

No use calling them, they'll never make it in time. Fuck it. Hope this scores me some points with Rick.

* * *

Good, everyone was too busy killing zeds to notice anything.

"Do you see in the dark?"

Ah, Rick…

"I don't need to see, I feel it. If you wait until you see it, it's usually too late."

Some good old wisdom from my teacher always comes handy. It's the truth of course; the meaning of every single one of those words was instilled into my body by my teacher's wooden sword. It's just not the whole truth.

The archer…he's pissed.

Uh, very pissed.

No regrets about my decisions, right?

* * *

I think the archer doesn't like me anymore.

I think I fucked up my only chance to escape.

I admit I'm a little worried now.

* * *

I could be far away by now. Free as a birdie…but no, I chose to save him…them. And now I get the silent treatment and pushed around like I did something bad.

I get it, from his point of view, it was a bad thing to do. He wanted to save me, he wanted to help Rick… and I deprived him of that. If he knew all the facts, he'd understand. But either way, it all worked out just fine and I even saved Rick… So what's his damn problem?

"Why did you come after me?"

"I went after the walkers. That was the plan all along."

Not buying it. I can feel his stare on me. There's still some affection left in him. Not much maybe, but hopefully enough to keep me alive.

"Walk!"

Fuck that Rick. I need to do something about him, to soften him somehow, or he'll kill me. Need to figure out the group. Rick's the key person not the archer.

* * *

Wouldn't hurt him to be a bit more gentle, especially considering the nature of our brief but intense relationship. The only way to get out of his grip would be if I cut my hand off. Which reminds me, I need to get my sword back. So, I guess I'll be staying.

I could give it a try, I suppose. If I manage to keep my mouth shut for most of the time, behave nicely, show them I'm not a threat but a kind, lovely, helpful person…I'd laugh just now, if the situation wasn't so serious.

Where are they taking me? That room again...I'll be locked up, again.

Huh, there's more of them. Bigger group than I thought.

"We don't know of any blind woman, right?"

No…no, it can't be…

* * *

 **Thanks for reading. How's so far? Leave some reviews. :)**


	10. Chapter 10

10.

She kept saying she had no idea, who that man was or what were his motives. She swore it on her life and even when Rick came down hard on her, she didn't budge.

But Daryl knew she was lying. He felt her wince under his grip after Sasha said the man was looking for a blind woman. And not just wince. If he didn't hold her arm as strong as he did, she'd collapsed. She recovered soon enough, so others didn't notice her weak moment, but he knew.

After they all left, he watched her through the barred wall of the detention room as she retreated in the corner like a wounded animal and wrapped her arms around her legs. He stayed. She was his responsibility after all.

He was more than fine with the silence between them. Speaking to her was the last thing he wanted to do. With all that went on down in the corridor he wasn't sure how to feel about her. Besides, there was an annoying feeling of shame that pestered him, shame from allowing Rick to hurt her that much.

As the evening drew in Carol brought him dinner. He forgot all about food, but once it was placed before him, he dug in as if he hasn't eaten for days.

"There's no need for you to keep guard. Why don't you go and take a proper rest?" Carol suggested caringly.

"I'm fine here," he replied between gulps.

"If you want me to replace you, or to keep you company, just say so."

He felt her touch on his shoulder. She was always so kind to him and he didn't know how to accept or return that kindness. He averted his eyes and shook his head.

"Ok, suit yourself."

As soon as she left he stopped eating, grabbed a bottle of water and carried it all inside the cell.

They had a rule not to waste food on strangers until a decision is made whether to expel them, kill them or keep them. This rule applied especially to the ones they deemed dangerous, which Niko definitely was. Nevertheless he felt obliged to share his dinner with her. He figured, she must be at least as hungry as he was, after all, she did kill quite a number of walkers. Perhaps even more than him. And even though half a portion hardly quenched his hunger, he considered it a fair deal.

Niko didn't react when he neared her. Her head was tilted forward, and her hair obscured her face. It was dark and he wasn't sure whether she was sleeping already. He placed down the water and the small pot with food, trying to make as little noise as possible, and retreated. He chose a place outside the room that allowed him a good view on her silhouette in the corner, sat down and leaned with one shoulder on the bars.

Time passed without any movements or sounds coming from inside the room. His eyes were slowly closing.

* * *

Voices from outside awaken him. He wiped the sleep out of his eyes and immediately checked on Niko. She was in the same corner, curled up against the wall.

He unlocked the door and went inside. The food he left for her was untouched and so was the bottle of water. This cannot be good, he thought, left the bottle and took the pot with him.

By the time he finished eating the remaining food, the voices outside faded. He locked the doors of the detention room and glanced one more time at Niko. Seeing there was no change, he left the block.

* * *

"Wait, I'll give you something for breakfast," said Carol when he brought the pot back to her.

"Thanks. I'll take it with me."

"How's the prisoner?"

"She's ok."

"I could spare two cans," she said in a quieter voice after passing him one.

"No need."

"Morning Daryl!" Beth greeted him with a big smile. "I was just about to go to the storage room for some supplies. Would you come with me? You know…just in case…"

"It's been all cleared there, you can go on your own."

"Can't you keep me company? It's not like you have to be somewhere else."

"Where's everyone?"

"Well, Rick's outside with Hershel and Maggie. They are checking if they can plant something on the land around the prison….I think the rest are at their usual guarding posts…"

"Frank?" he asked carefully.

"He's still up in his cell….he says he needs rest. He's nothing but a lazy bum, when your brother's not around," remarked Carol.

She was right about that, but at least he didn't have to worry about him sneaking into the detention room.

"I'll go and do a round, make sure everything's ok." He took the food Carol prepared for him and left.

Passing the block of the detention room, he noticed the outside door was open. He quickened his steps. It was closed when he left earlier.

He found Sasha inside, leaning with her hands on the barred wall and staring blankly at the corner where Niko lay.

"So what have you found out?" she asked.

"Nothing. Her last words were swearing to Rick, she knows nothing about that man."

Sasha turned to him. "You believe her?"

He placed down the can, mainly to avoid her stare. "Don't know. Surely it'd be one hell of coincidence if it wasn't about her."

"The man looked dangerous and determined. I'd be afraid if I was her."

She was afraid. So afraid, she'd rather take a beating than say anything. He scoffed. "Everybody looks dangerous these days."

Sasha directed her eyes at Niko again. "I wonder if it's a good idea keeping her here…"

He didn't reply to that. If it was anyone else he'd have an answer. But the way he felt about Niko, was too confusing for him.

After Sasha left, he went inside, stopped at a short distance from Niko and placed down the can Carol gave to him.

* * *

He stood very close, staring at her from above. Three days passed and she didn't touch any of the food or water he brought to her, she didn't move from her place and she didn't say a word. Once or twice he listened very attentively to make sure she was still breathing.

As usual, she was lying on her hip, facing the wall. Her sleek hair has become messy and sticky, its strands glued over her face with dried blood. Her shoulders were moving up and down in rhythm with her rapid, shallow breathing.

He squatted by her side, placed his hand on her shoulder and shook her. There was no reaction, so he turned her towards him. Her limp body unfolded easily and he noticed vomit beside her head. He removed some hair from her face. She was a mess to look at, her scar now barely noticeable amongst all the other wounds. He shook her again, this time strongly. She emitted a sigh and tried to curl up again, turning away from him. He prevented her from doing so and poured some water from the bottle over her face. She tried to fight him away, but she was so weak, he held her down easily by the shoulder. He stuck the bottle in her mouth and forced her to drink. After a few sips, she half raised herself on one elbow and, her eyes shut, attempted to punch at him. All her punches were in empty air.

"Go away…" Her voice was barely audible.

"Drink…" He pushed the bottle at her mouth again.

She refused, turning her face away. "What's the point? You people decide already, or you let me go or you kill me…I have nothing more to say to any of you…and I'm sick of being a prisoner too."

She sounded exhausted. He released her and she crawled closer to the wall, into the shadow.

He sat near her and took a sip from the bottle. "We decided to let you stay."

"By we you mean Rick?" she asked with a shaky voice.

"No I mean we, the group."

"The group, huh. You took a vote or something?"

"Something like that."

She chuckled. "I bet I didn't get Rick's vote."

"Actually, Rick spoke in your favor." So did he. Michonne and surprisingly Carol wanted her dead, Hershel and Maggie said they didn't know enough about her to make a decision and Glenn decided to trust Rick and support his vote. Others were not in the voting circle. The only reason he could think of why Rick decided in her favor, was that he found her useful somehow.

Tapping with her hand at the wall, she pulled herself into a sitting position. "You don't say. Must be the feeling of guilt…after all that beating he gave me."

"Rick isn't his usual self. Some real bad stuff happened to him lately."

"No shit…cause' the rest of us have it all peachy…" She took the bottle from him and drank with long gulps. "Besides, they say dire circumstances bring out the real you. "

"C'mon, get up!"

"Why?" She frowned.

"I'm taking you to meet the rest of the group."

"So…you're taking me out? Out of this room?" Her voice sounded unsure and suspicious.

"It's what I said."

"My glasses…there're over there. Could you pass them to me?"

As soon as she had them on, she scrambled to her feet, swung dangerously forward and, in attempt to counter that, fell fully backwards. He reacted promptly and caught her before she smashed her head against the wall. He seated her on the chair, opened the can he left for her the previous night and gave it to her. "Eat. You're too weak."

She accepted it and began to eat, swallowing the content of the can slowly.

"So if you let me stay," she spoke with her mouth full; "what will I do?"

"Don't know yet."

"Well, you know I'm not all that helpless. I can kill..."

"…zeds...umm, I mean walkers," she added after chewing on the food. "I think I've proven that. When will I get my sword back?"

"Don't get ahead of yourself. It'll take time before anyone trusts you."

Seeing she scraped every bit of food out of the can, he took one he received for himself and gave it to her. This time she ate much faster and finished the whole can in a couple of minutes. Tapping herself on the stomach she made a grimace. "I think I ate too fast."

"C'mon. We don't have all day."

She stood up, much slower this time and supporting herself on the back of the chair. As she regained her balance, she flashed him a smile and made an okay sign with her fingers.

"One more thing," he said.

"Yes?"

"I know you're lying about that man. You must have your reasons and I don't mind as long as it doesn't endanger my friends. But if anything happens to them, because of what you're holding back, it'll be your life for theirs. And I won't think twice about it."

If his words had any effect on her he couldn't tell. With her eyes hidden beneath the glasses and her calm composure he had a hard time reading her. All he noticed was a tiny provocative smile on her lips.

"I certainly hope I'll make a better impression on others than I did on you."

"I doubt that very much." He smirked. "But if I was you, I'd keep my mouth shut most of the time."

"Do you think I could wash up? I don't feel very presentable…"

"Later. Let's go already."

As they were about to exit the detention room, she placed her hand softly on his upper arm, which made him turn rather abruptly.

"It's just so I don't bump into something on the way," she clarified.

He continued, leading her along, feeling oddly self-conscious.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading. Leave your reviews and comments!**


	11. Chapter 11

11.

They arrived to the block, which served as living quarters for most of the members of the group. Niko was at his left side, her fingers never loosing contact with his upper arm. He was surprised at how easily she kept up with him, even when he walked fast and even they passed through a very sunny courtyard. Not once he felt obstructed by her in anyway. If it wasn't for her constant touch, it would be like walking with any other person.

As soon as they entered, he felt stares and glances directed at them, some filled with suspicion and mistrust, other with curiosity.

Carol was the first one to approach.

"Hi. I'm Carol." She took Niko's right hand from his arm and shook it. The tone of her voice was very friendly and welcoming, which surprised him, since Carol was the one that voted for Niko's execution.

As soon as Carol let go of her hand, Niko placed it back on his shoulder and turned toward him as if looking for some sort of approval.

"Are you ok? Would you like to sit over there, at the table?" asked Carol, shifting her questioning eyes at him as Niko gave no answer.

He was about to take her hand and lean it on Carol's shoulder, when Niko suddenly grinned and spoke: "Carol, my name is Niko, but that you probably already know. I want to thank you for accepting me and allowing me to stay in your group. You are the first person here to greet me properly, and talk to me… in a normal way…as one human being to another. I wasn't expecting it, so excuse my delayed reaction."

"Well…" Carol briefly appeared at a loss for words. "I wasn't the only one making decisions…ehm…would you like to see Hershel, ehmm , our doctor, to examine you? Your face looks a bit-"

"Nooo, no need for that, but I'd really like to wash myself, if that's possible?"

Beth also came closer. Niko must have sensed her or saw her - he still wasn't clear about the way her sight worked - because she turned in her direction.

"Hi, I'm Beth."

"Niko."

She was observing Niko with curious eyes. "So you're blind?"

"Well…yes."

"And yet I've heard you killed many walkers?"

"Yup, that I did."

"Aren't you afraid?"

"Umm, afraid of what?"

"Beth, give her some space…."interjected Carol.

"Just curious, that's all…"

"I'm curious too how somebody who's blind, can fight better than most of us?" said Michonne, who sat with Sasha and Tyreese on the stairs.

Niko turned towards her voice. "You're the one with the sword?"

"Yes."

"Do you have mine as well?"

"It's… stored."

"You're self-taught, right?"

"Why would you say that?"

"Your technique is sloppy and rather ugly."

Daryl noticed Michonne's gaze darkening at Niko's comment.

"And you'd know this, how?"

"The way you came at me and the way you moved in the corridor below against the Zeds…"

Michonne stood up. "So you do see?"

"I see things in my own way. I also know you carry a sword that is a flashy piece of shit. That I can tell by the sound it makes when it cuts."

Where's this going, wondered Daryl looking at Niko in slight bewilderment, while she continued in a very casual tone: "I don't say it to offend you, just saying it as it is… you know, from one swordswoman to another."

"I'm after efficiency not aesthetics," Michonne replied with deep, quiet voice.

"Usually, the two coincide. If you give me back my sword, I could teach you a thing or two."

"No,thanks." Michonne began to move from the stairs in their direction like of a cat on a hunt. Carl who just came out of his cell and looked as if he just woke up, stepped unknowingly on her way. His sudden appearance and his confused stare broke the tension, which built between her and Niko. Carol seized the opportunity: "This is Carl, Rick's son, and on the stairs, behind Michonne, whom you obviously already met, are Sasha and Tyreese. There are others as well, but they are currently busy elsewhere."

"How many are you?" asked Niko.

"Well, we are quite a group now. We've lost some people, but also gained some new. You'll meet them all eventually. But, perhaps you first come with me and I'll show you the bathrooms? You said you wanted to wash? We have showers too, if you wish."

"Oh, that would be just-"

Judith's crying suddenly filled the room, leaving Niko with her mouth open.

"A baby? You have a baby?"

"Yes, less than a month old," said Carol, looking with a warm smile towards the cell, from which the crying came.

"And you haven't killed it yet?"

And just like that the tension was on again. If eyes were on and off Niko before, suddenly all of them were firmly on her. Carol's friendly expression turned stone-cold.

"I mean, the longer you let it live, the harder it will be…for the parents as well as for the baby, once it becomes more self-aware- "

Daryl looked down and ran his hand over his forehead.

"Why would you kill a baby?" asked Beth in a voice full of reproach.

"Isn't it obvious?"

When there was no answer and a complete silence took over the room, a bewildered frown appeared on her face. He hoped she'd shut up, but to his dismay, she decided to continue: "It's the only humane thing to do, considering the circumstances." The silence still persisted.

"It happens in nature all the time. There are many cases of infanticide found in almost every primate species as well as in many mother bears, felines, canids and many species of rodent…"

The crying became louder as Rick walked out of the cell with Judith in his hands. He rocked her gently to calm her down, while listening to Niko.

"…insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles, and birds also have been implicated in killing, and sometimes devouring the young of their own kind. As much as we would like to deny it, humans are not immune to it either. It was done when the world was in a much better shape than it's now."

Reproach and shock was slowly replaced by anger in the eyes of people around him. It was like watching somebody tying a noose around their own neck and tightening it a little with each word they spoke and when he saw Rick coming towards them, Daryl seriously consider to just knock her out.

"So you're saying, I should kill my own daughter for humane reasons?"

"Umm, well… " She seemed to be taken aback by Rick's voice; "there are also safety concerns, of course."

"Safety concerns?" Rick stopped in front of her. Judith was crying her lungs out.

"The crying can attract…the baby can't control the crying…and the group has to be mobile…"Niko started to mumble.

"I think we're done here," said Daryl, grabbed her by her arm and dragged her out of the block as quickly as possible.

* * *

"How was I supposed to know it was Rick's baby?"

He stopped abruptly, pulled her arm so she stumbled towards him. "That don't matter. You can't go around telling people to kill their babies."

"I guess, you're right." With her head bowed down she sounded genuinely remorseful, although he wasn't quite sure it was for the right reasons.

"And that shit talk you gave to Michonne? The fuck was that all about?"

"Shit talk? I offered to her to teach her."

He snorted. "Your brain just ain't wired right."

Once they reached the detention block he led her into the room and locked the door behind her as soon as she stepped inside.

She immediately clung with both hands on the iron bars. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like?"

"But you said, you'll take me out!"

"Yeah, that went great. I told you to keep your mouth shut."

"But I was…wait, Daryl, where are you going? You can't leave me here again!"

He slammed the entrance door, sat in a quiet corner outside and lit a cigarette. After a few drags he started to laugh quietly.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**


	12. Chapter 12

12.

It was late evening by the time he returned to the detention room. He was busy all day setting up and strengthening the fence. The walkers started to cluster at certain points and pressure against it.

He found her sitting on a window shelf, looking out into the night. The window was quite high and he wondered how the hell she managed to climb all the way up there.

She didn't acknowledge him so he rolled a can towards her through the bars and assumed his usual place outside by the room. He figured she must be upset for locking her up again and let her be.

His eyes were closing when he felt a body snuggling up against him. He turned slightly and saw her on the other side of the bars, sitting back to back. She was eating from the can in silence.

Having her so close felt pleasant and he didn't move away. He heard her sighing loudly as she placed the can down and leaned with more weight against his back.

"So who's the mother of Rick's baby?"

Not the first question he'd expected.

"His wife was."

"Hmm? Oh…" There was a silent pause. "How did she…"

"A couple of outsiders we took in wanted to take over the prison. There was a fight, walkers came in…. She got cut off in one of the blocks and died during childbirth. Carl, Rick's son, put a bullet in her head."

"Shit…"

"Mh-mmm."

Another pause. "Daryl…ehmm, you've been very kind to me. I mean you have your own ways of showing it, but you care."

He felt her head turning slightly.

"Why?"

He didn't know how to respond to her question.

"I know we've been…umm…intimate-"

"That ain't it."

"Then why?"

Somebody banged on the door.

"Daryl! We need you, the fence broke down…" Glenn shouted from the outside.

He immediately sprung to his feet, took the bow and dashed towards the door.

Niko too jumped up and pressed against the bars: "Take me with you, please! I can help!"

No chance of that happening, he decided without a shred of hesitation.

* * *

He came back dirtier and bloodier. They contained the walkers and put up some provisionary fence, but it was clear it was only a matter of time before the breach happens again at some other place.

Niko came to the bars as soon as he came in. "I could have helped, you know that."

He was tired and in no mood to debate. He put away the bow and sat down, exhausted. He scrubbed out what was left of the food in his can and drank almost all the water from the bottle.

"Last time, down in the corridor, I helped you."

He looked up at her. "You locked me in a fuckin cell."

"I had to. It was to protect you. I couldn't fight so many Zeds and take care of you at the same time."

He snorted dismissively.

"You were distracted. You dropped your knife. I just did what I thought it was best. That's all."

"You really believe that, don't you?"

"I could have left, you know. But I decided to stay to save your ass, since you stupidly decided to save mine, when nobody asked you to."

"Is that your way of saying thanks?"

"Just saying it."

"I saved your ass so many times, I stopped counting. Just saying it…"

"Okay, I get it, tough guy. I admit, you saved me. Is that what you want to hear?"

"What's your problem?"

"What do you want from me?"

"For starters, stop lying."

"I'm not lying!"

"You lied about that man asking for you…"

"Why do you keep saying that?"

"Come on, you really think I didn't notice… you almost dropped to the ground when Sasha said the man was looking for a blind woman…"

She slid down, leaning against his back. "I just got scared, that's all. I mean…wouldn't you, if somebody was asking about you like that, out of nowhere? It all sounded so ominous."

"No, I wouldn't. I'd wanna know who the fuck was he. You don't scare that easily either."

She sighed with heaviness. "I have nothing more to say about that. Believe what you want. At the end it might turn out it's not even me, he was looking for. Can't be I'm the only blind chick left in this world."

"No, but I'll be damned if it was just a coincidence."

His words remained hanging in the air.

"So let me ask you again, why do you care…why do you keep saving my ass?"

He detached from her and lay on the blanket he spread earlier. "Go to sleep."

* * *

He's been watching her since he woke up. She fell asleep on the floor right next to the bars, with her back turned towards him. She didn't move at all and after a while he shook her by her shoulder to wake her up. She slowly turned her body and blinked at him.

"What…."she muttered with sleepy voice. "Let me sleep, it's not like I'm going anywhere."

"I need to check the fence. You're coming with me."

He got up, sashed his knife and checked the bow. She put on the glasses, got up quickly and waited by the door till he unlocked it. As the day before, she placed her hand on his arm.

"Keep up."

She nodded with a smile on her face.

* * *

"Take this, you won't miss much if you just poke with it randomly in that direction. They bunched up." He pushed a wooden rod with a spike in her hands. Up until then she just stood there, looking bored, while he was pricking the walkers' heads with his knife.

She got to it immediately and he was amazed how precise hear aim at the heads was.

"Can't you give me my sword back?" she asked after a while.

"No."

"It's of a great sentimental value to me. I'd really hate if something happened to it."

"Nothing will happen to it."

"I don't trust..ehm…Michonne…is that her name?"

"She don't trust you either."

"Do you?"

"Mh-mmm?"

"Do you trust me?"

"Not in the slightest."

The spike just flew close to his temple and penetrated a skull of a walker on the other side of the fence.

"Heey…easy with that….move more over there," he pushed her rod away.

She smirked and continued. "We're doing a Sisyphean work, you know that?"

"A what?"

"A futile task. They'll just keep coming."

"We'll keep cleaning…build a better fence or a wall eventually."

"You plan to stay here?"

He shrugged. "It's better for the group."

"But do you want to stay?"

"As long as they need me…"

One of the walkers reached through and almost caught Niko by the hair.

"Watch out!" he warned her and cut off the arm.

Niko moved back and pushed the spike into the walker's head. "Or as long as you need them…"

"You have any family left?"

"Nope."

"Happened before or after?"

She stopped for a moment leaned on the rod and looked at him, smirking. "Are we like…sharing stuff now? Or you're just fishing for information?"

A splash of blood covered his face.

"You don't wanna talk, we don't have to," he muttered, wiping the blood from his eyes. He got back to work and so did she.

"It was before. My parents died long before the Zeds… in a terrorist attack in Tokyo. They were killed by sarin gas. Terrorists released it in the subway. I was six at the time. "

He paused and looked at her. "That sucks."

She shrugged it off, continuing with the trusts at the heads. "How about you? Parents still alive? A wifey somewhere?

"My mom died when I was a kid. My father, he lingered on the old bastard, but I wished he'd died. I have a big brother… Merle. There's no one else."

"Oh? Where's your brother now?"

"He's on a supply run, he should be back soon. He ain't the nicest guy, but not the worst either… his biggest talent is to rub people the wrong way… now you kinda took that from him."

She frown at his remark and laughed. He smiled too.

"What's the story with your sword?"

"A present of my fencing teacher, who was, well, much more than a fencing teacher to me. After my parents died, they found no other relatives, so he took me in, to live with him. He was a close friend of my father. It wasn't easy not for him not for me. He wasn't a man to have kids, yet alone a broken kid with an odd disability. But he felt duty towards my father, so he tried his best. Teaching me the way of the sword was his way of teaching me life. He was a tough, strict teacher and mentor, and 'cause of my disability and the fact I was a girl, he pushed me twice as hard. There were times I wished to die, but in the end… his teachings might as well be the reason I'm still alive today."

She sighed thoughtfully. "Sometimes it almost feels like all that happened in another historical era and not just years ago."

"That scar on your face…it looks old…got it in training?"

"No. This scar-"

"Look at ya…If that ain't the kid and his doll. I see you put her to work."

Daryl cursed and didn't bother to turn. From the corner of his eye he observed Niko. She didn't turn either, but he saw she flinched at the sound of Frank's voice.

"You better be careful, Frank, or those stitches on your face might open up again."

"Heey, no need to be hostile, kid. I came here in good faith. We're family, you still remember that, I hope." Frank gave him a strong pat on the shoulder. Daryl shook off his hand immediately and looked him in the way, Frank took a step back.

"I get it, kid, you wanna keep the doll to yerself. I ain't sayin it don't bother me and the way ye came at me, that you'll have to square it with Merle. But we all got to keep good relations goin', ain't that right, doll?"

Niko took out the spike from a walker and slowly turned towards Frank. She firmly pushed the spike into the ground beside her and leaned on the rod with both hands. Frank's cocky expression disappeared from his face. Daryl followed Niko's movements with keen attention, feeling the tension building up. All of a sudden Niko's mouth collapsed into a wide smile, which looked more crazy-like than pleasant.

"But of course, Sir," she said. "I couldn't agree more. Let bygones be bygones."

Frank was dumbfounded at first, but soon his usual cocky appearance took over. "Ya see, kid, your doll here, can be quite reasonable." He stepped closer to her. "Oh my, Rick did a nasty job on your face. Ain't that a pity. I'd never do that, I mean, a few slaps, yes…. you know, women should be slapped from time to time, otherwise they start getting ideas. But to destroy a pretty face like that, that's a damn shame. And then I'm the bad guy." He laughed out and Niko joined him with a rather forced and exaggerated laughter.

Daryl observed it all quietly, thinking of it as a foreplay before some big disaster. "C'mon," he said to Niko, and nudged at her arm. "Frank can finish here on his own."

With a smile on her lips, she bowed slightly her head and searched for Daryl's arm. As he led her away, Frank slapped at her bottom.

"Where I come from this's considered a friendly gesture to a lady, ain't that right, kid?"

Daryl paused and turned slightly to the side, catching Frank with the corner of his eye. His lips slowly formed a smirk. "Hmm…" His fist clenched.

Just before he was about to act on his intent he felt pressure on his arm. It was Niko, she was holding him back, while she turned to Frank and tilted her head to the side. "Aren't you a real Southeren gentleman?"

Grinning, Frank scratched his head with his three finger hand and spit on the side.

Daryl kept glancing at her as they were walking away. "That required quite some self-control. I was about to trust the spike up his ass myself."

"Thank you, I wanted to show you, I'm trying."

"Mhmm. Right."

"And anyway, what goes around comes around."

He didn't like the sound of that at all. "Listen, let me deal with people like Frank, ok?"

She muttered something to herself.

"Ok?" he repeated.

"Sure…"

Fuck. He should have punched that idiot's face and be done with it.


	13. Chapter 13

**Hi! This story is back. :) Hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

13.

The moment he heard the scream from the main block, he knew she has to be somehow involved. It was a shame, really, because for the past four days she got along with the women quite well. She did all the work she was told to do, without objecting and, according to Carol, she wasn't much of a bother. Sure, she caused some awkward moments at the beginning, like when she bluntly asked about the intimate relations within the group and even threw in a few of her own speculations, some accurate enough to make the atmosphere uncomfortable. And although Carol hinted to her such sensitive themes were bound to create tensions and are better left undiscussed, she promptly retorted that hiding one's affection for another person would be utterly unproductive when living in the now or never era and went on asking about him. He was in the same room that afternoon, sharpening his arrows in the corner and pretending he wasn't interested in their conversation although he was listening in to every word she said. When she asked if he was sleeping with somebody and, since none of the women responded, remarked, with a wicked grin, it would be a big shame to leave such a potential unexplored, Beth, who sat at the same table with her and Carol, stormed out. It was a sign for him to intervene, before things went any further. He locked her into the detention room for the rest of the day as a precaution, avoiding himself a conversation with her, fearing it might lead in the direction, which was no less uncomfortable for him than it was for the others.

After that little incident the women didn't talk to her much and she kept more to herself to avoid being locked up again. She asked a couple of times to be moved to another working post, specifically to go patrolling with him or going on rounds with him. Carol made it clear to her, they weren't running an employment service and that she doesn't give a damn about her working preferences. He laughed inside, when she complained to him, with an utmost offended voice, about Carol not being flexible at all. He sided with Carol of course, as inside the block she was at least safe.

He would still lock her in at night and sleep on the other side of the bars. They would talk sometimes, or rather she would talk. She told him a little bit about her life in Japan, about her fencing teacher – the man that brought her up after her parents' death, and about her research at the university, which eventually brought her to the US. She even described to him some interesting patterns in animal behaviour, which, she pointed out, could now be well discerned in behaviour of humans as well.

He liked listening to her. She was obviously smart, school like smart as her social skills were definitely questionable, and she must have been well skilled in sword, considering she trained from her childhood and from what he saw down in the corridor on that fated day. But apart from that he still felt all he got was just very surface information, and that he didn't know her at all. And neither did he trust her. She asked him questions too. He told her very little or responded with one-syllable words and after a few attempts she stopped asking. What could he have said about himself anyway, he had nothing to be proud of.

During the day he felt okay leaving her in Carol's care. Niko didn't like it, he could see that, but she complied. She'd get used to it with time, and more importantly, others would get used to her. He wanted her to stay, and for that he needed others to let her stay. As far as Rick was concerned, she was still on probation

But now Beth screamed. He recognized it was Beth when she screamed for the second time. He prayed in his mind it was just a spider or a mouse, or even a walker, anything that was not Niko's doing.

He rushed in and found an odd scene. Niko was sitting at the table with his back towards him, Carol pale and her eyes wide open stood still besides her, and Beth paced back and forth in the middle of the room.

As soon as Beth saw him she rushed towards him and snug under his arm. She was trembling. "She's crazy…she's crazy…" she kept whispering.

He held her by the elbows, gently pushed her away and walked to the table. Only then he realized there was another person sitting across Niko. The arms hung limply at his sides, while his head rested on the table with the left side of his face turned upwards. A pencil with a rubber eraser at the end stuck out above the punctured jelly of his left eyeball and a few red drops were spattered over the table in the vicinity of his head.

He never saw Frank with such a tranquil expression on his face before. The left corner of the mouth contorted slightly upwards, it looked almost like he was smiling.

What goes around, comes around, Niko's words reverberated in his mind. He didn't expect it would happen so soon, or in such a way, and by the look of it, neither did Frank.

* * *

 **Any comments, opinions, reviews, speculations would be awesome! Thanks! ;)**


	14. Chapter 14

14.

She sat with her arms crossed in a very leisurely manner, her face turned away from him, even though he was sure she was well aware he was standing right across her at the table, behind dead Frank, waiting for an explanation. She was like a small kid, who knows he did something bad, but tries to downplay the wrongful act by pretending it simply happened.

While no word came from Niko, Carol's stare demanded him to act and he didn't know where to start or how to go about it. Beth drew closer and looked down at Frank, biting her lips nervously. "What do we do…I mean do we have to kill him, you know, before he turns? Who will do that? Will you do that, Daryl? Will you take him out of here first…please?"

"No need for that," spoke Niko calmly. "I pushed the pencil through his socket deep enough. He won't awake from that."

He sighted heavily. "What the fuck happened?"

"It's pretty obvious…I pushed a pencil-"

"Why'd you do it?" he cut her sharply. His calmness was ruffled.

Niko leaned with her elbows on the table and turned her face at him. "I got fed up with him," she said, pronouncing each word slowly; "so, I killed him."

"You're crazy!" Beth shouted at her.

"Come on, let's be all frank." She was the only one who chuckled at her pun. "You all wanted him dead. I bet when he grabbed your ass, Beth, you wished to kill him yourself, and probably this wasn't the only time…he was particularly annoying and disrespectful today."

"You don't kill a man over that!" retorted Beth.

Niko turned her head slightly, her black glasses catching a ray of sunlight. "Really? I think men are killed over much less nowadays."

"Here we decide on things together," said Carol and joined Daryl on the other side of the table. "You had no right to make such a decision on your own. We could find some other solution, or simply expel him."

Niko shook her head. "No, you wouldn't. You would never just let him go. Too much of a risk for a bitter, vengeful bastard he was. Am I right, Daryl?"

Yes, she was right but that was beyond the point. God knows, he wanted to kill Frank many times himself, but Niko's careless behaviour was the kind of behaviour that spurs things into an uncontrolled chaos within a group.

He grabbed Frank's body and start dragging him out. "I'll tell the others. Niko, you come with me."

Noticing puzzled stares of Carol and Beth he reassured them: "I'll deal with this, okay?"

Consequences of Niko's action came down on him like dark, stormy clouds. It was all back to square one. He'll have to justify her stay again and this time not only to Rick.

XXXXX

"What are you so worried about?" she asked him, as he lit his second cigarette since he came back to the detention room. Observing smoke twirling away used to relax him and clear his thoughts. It didn't work now.

He spoke with the others. Nobody was so much concerned about Frank being dead as they were with Niko. The responses varied from genuine concern to plain hatred. Beth was uncompromising and wanted her gone. Carol, whom he thought to be among the lenient ones when it came to Niko, bluntly said they would be all better off without her. Rick left it up to him, under the condition she was back in the detention room and under constant supervision. Others were more or less in between. For the first time he wondered seriously, why does he give a damn. The chick proved way too much work and it didn't look like it will get any better. And the situation just kept getting messier. As sure as most of the group, including himself, won't miss Frank much, his brother definitely will. He'll see it as a betrayal of some sort and demand a retribution. If he managed to persuade Rick, was because deep down Rick was reasonable person and he respected his opinion. But Merle… when was it ever anything reasonable with Merle?

"Did I get you in trouble?"

Her mild voice had an annoyingly persuasive innocence about it, which made it hard for him to get angry at her. And he wanted to be angry. He directed his eyes at her. She was sitting on a table with her legs dangling in the air, as if there was not a worry on her mind. "Me? Why would I get in trouble for some shit you did?" he replied, raising his voice a little. "You got yourself in trouble. Be sure of that. You think, you can just kill those you don't like and everyone's gonna be fine with it? It ain't like that here…"

Her legs stopped dangling and she tightened her fingers around the edge of the table.

"Look, I didn't mean to-"

"It don't matter, when Merle comes back…" He puffed out the smoke and gazed thoughtfully.

"Merle…your brother?"

He nodded, then, seeing her glasses, said it out loud: "Yes."

"I'll explain it to him, I'm sure he'll understand."

He snorted. "He'll understand it all right…"

"Look, eventually something like that was bound to happen, and if already, then better by my hand than one of the women's…..or…yours." She sounded oddly compassionate. "The opinion about me is as bad as it gets…one more offence won't make much difference."

"You telling me you did it out of the goodness of your heart?"

She grinned. "No, it brought me too much pleasure. But I did give it a thought ahead. It was for a good cause."

"You kill easily…"

"Yes, must say I surprised myself, but seems Zeds or men….it's becoming all the same."

He moved closer to her, his face just inches away from her. "It ain't! Is that clear to you?"

She flinched in surprise at his sudden proximity, arched back and promptly nodded.

He drew back, took one last drag on the cigarette and flicked it away. "You can't go back to work with Carol and Beth. You'll come with me tomorrow."

"Sure. Some more pricking at the fence?"

"No, we go out."

She jumped off the table. "Seriously?"

"Mh-mmm."

"Don't know what to say…thank you?"

"I'm doing it only 'cause there's no other option, so save it. There'll be enough shit to deal with when Merle comes back. I'll try to reason with him. If it can't be done, we'll have to leave."

She tilted her head to the side. "Did you say we?"

* * *

 **Thanks for the comments! :))))) Looking forward to more!**


	15. Chapter 15

15.

She encircled his bike, passing her hand over it gently as if it was an extremely delicate thing. The incredulous expression on her face made him smile. He realized he was staring at her and averted his eyes, feeling rather silly about it. Good thing she couldn't see him.

"This is a motorcycle?" she asked.

"Yes."

He pushed a couple of bottles into the rucksack and attached it to the bike.

"So we are going for supplies with a motorcycle?"

"Mhm-mm."

He packed a gun and re-checked his bow, then hopped on his bike and turned on the throttle.

"C'mon," he called to her.

"Umm…." She stood by the bike, looking awkward.

"Is there a problem?"

"It's just…well, I've never been driven on a motorcycle before."

"Just get on it."

"Umm, okay." She searched for his shoulder and squeezed her fingers around it quite tightly, then stretched her leg way more than needed over the bike and with several adjustments finally sat behind him. Her movements were clumsy and he could feel she's constantly trying to balance herself on the seat.

"What do I do now?"

"Put your feet on the foot pegs."

"On what?"

"See those small two bolts sticking out on the sides?…Right..." She doesn't see them.

He bent downward, grabbed her by the calf and led her foot onto the peg. He wanted to do the same with her other leg but she pushed him away and after one failed attempt found the peg herself.

"Ok, now just hold onto me and you'll be good."

The moment he twisted the throttle and the engine roared, she wrapped her arms tightly around his waist and glued herself to his back. The strength of her embrace surprised him, pleasantly. For once she seemed compliant and not being smart ass about it. He smiled smugly and drove off.

He couldn't tell whether she enjoyed the ride or not. She clung as close to him as it was physically possible, from the start till the end. When he leaned into corners she tensed up and went against the bike until he told her to stay with him. She quickly adapted and for the rest of the ride she was a perfect passenger. She didn't spoke a word the whole time and when they stopped and dismounted the bike, her face could not be paler.

"I take it, you enjoyed the ride?"

"I did," she replied, disguising relief with a smug smile.

"Good. I usually take the bike when going out. It's easier if there's some walkers or wreckage on the roads."

"I understand."

"I drove slowly now, so you can get used to it. Way back, we'll be much faster," he teased her.

She swallowed down the sudden lump which had risen in her throat and said in hoarse voice: "No problem."

"Okay. Let's go and see if there's anything useful around here."

They walked past several abandoned shops. He made sure he was always a step before her and had the bow aimed. Overcome by an intense feeling of responsibility, he didn't want to make any mistake.

She walked behind, resting her hand on his shoulder. From time to time she released him and when that happened he always glanced back to make sure she was following.

"You know I could take my sword from your back, right, if I wanted to?"

"Yeah? Why don't you try?"

"It's silly, you, carrying my sword, instead of just giving it to me."

"Should have checked you for pencils too."

"That's low. I'd never do you any harm."

He threw a glance at her. She regained her usual paleness and it looked like her gift of speech returned too. "And I should just trust you on this?"

She made a sudden stop, pulling him back by the shoulder. "Yes, you should," she said in all seriousness.

He saw his face in her glasses for a brief moment, then she turned her head turned towards one of the shops and the reflection was gone.

"Two zeds… to the right…"

He looked at the small convenient store she was pointing at. "There ain't no walkers-"

A growling sound cut him off and soon after one walker and then another stumbled from shattered windows of the store towards them. He aimed the bow and shot twice.

"How did you know?" he asked as they proceeded down the street.

"Hmm?"

"How did you know the walkers are coming…before I heard them or saw them?"

"Oh, I heard them."

"You said it was two."

"Yes."

"How the fuck could you tell?"

"How? What do you want me to say? I heard them, that's all."

Right, 'cause that's just another "normal" thing about her, he thought to himself, slightly annoyed by another one of her evasive answers.

They arrived to a large shopping mall. The big revolving door was stuck but apart from that there was no damage to it. He looked through the window, then pushed onto the door. It moved just enough to let one person through.

"Wait here," he ordered her once they were both inside and went on to check around the hall. It looked like a clothing store, which gave him little hope to find anything useful.

"It's safe, you can come in," he shouted from behind the cash desk. When he looked up, he saw her roaming through rows of clothes.

"I think I could use a new t-shirt. I'm pretty sure these stains won't wash off from this one." Indeed, since that encounter with the horde in the corridor, her white t-shirt was anything but white.

"Is this one any good? What's the exact colour? I can only see that it's kinda vivacious."

The t-shirt she picked was bright pink and had a mouth with vampire teeth printed on the front, with the inscription "Bite me" above it.

"It's fine…" he muttered.

"Cool, I'm gonna try it on...and this one as well…and this jacket too." She grabbed them all together and tapping her hand on the top of the hangers walked till the end of the row of clothes. "Can you see the sign for the changing rooms?"

"Turn right and keep walking."

"Thanks! I'll be right back!"

He wondered if he should follow. Just as a precaution, of course. He gave only a quick glance inside there before and a walker could still be hiding behind one of those doors.

He peeked into the small hallway with changing rooms on each side and waited. He checked his bow again, adjusted the arrow and just as he aimed at one of the mannequins, he heard a sound. He acted immediately and kicked the doors of the changing rooms open, one after another, until he found her behind the fifth one. She was with her back towards him and without a shirt. Despite being unable to avoid a glimpse at her naked breasts, which she immediately covered with her arm, it was really a large scar, which extended diagonally across her back, from her shoulder to her hip, that consumed his stare. The thick line of reddened flesh lay in the exact opposite direction of the scar across her cheek, splitting her back in half. It was not a fresh scar but whoever patched it up certainly wasn't very much concerned with minimizing its visibility.

"Get out!" she shouted. A t-shirt flew into his face and the door smashed into him. He moved backwards and closed it.

"I thought I heard a noise."

"Of course you did, it was me…was humming a song, god dammit."

"It sounded like a walker's growls…"

"Haha, how funny."

He chuckled, but almost immediately got alert again. Niko stuck out her head from behind the door. "Did you hear that?"

"Yes," he whispered. "Stay here. I'll check it out. And I mean it…stay here…you get that?"

She nodded and slowly closed the door.

He tiptoed out of the small corridor and peeked from the corner. He didn't see anyone, but he could hear distinctively somebody walking around. His finger on the trigger, he slowly proceeded from around the corner and hid among the rows of clothes. The sound was coming from upfront, near the entrance. He was almost there. He stood up and aimed his bow in the direction of the sound.

Nobody was there, but now he heard another sound – that of a hammer clicking back.

"Easy with that bow…mmm, put it down…. now turn slowly…mmm…really slowly…"

It was a woman's voice. She spoke softly and in a rather seductive manner. He wasn't worried, he still had a gun behind his belt, and if worse came worst, there was Niko's sword on his back. Such encounters were an expected occurrence on a supply run. Must be some poor, desperate soul, who wandered into the town by chance, just as they did. Hopefully, he will deal with her quickly, maybe even without killing her.

He was wrong. The woman that materialized at the end of the row, holding a pistol with both hands, was no poor soul on the brink of survival. She looked like some femme fatale from a bad ass comic book. She had a big pistol all right, but she also had legs, which, in very tight, black, leather pants just went on and on, and, beneath a short leather jacket, a tiny and very revealing top, which looked like it will burst open every time she squeezed her fingers around the pistol. She tilted her head to the side, so that her long, blonde hair fell over her shoulder, and aimed at him with one eye closed.

It almost made him laugh. Aiming like that clearly meant she has no clue. Perhaps she was just a nutcase, who saw too many movies. Anyway, he had no time to waste. His right hand moved towards his belt.

"Aaaa….keep your hands as they are… I don't mean you any harm. You wouldn't kill me, would you? Mmm?" she begged him in an exaggerated tone of pleading. Her left hand left the pistol and she pushed her hair from her shoulder to the back, flashing him a daring smile. All of a sudden, she turned the pistol point to the side and started to walk towards him.

Fucking unpredictable amateurs, he muttered to himself. "Stay where you are, lady," he warned her, even though she was the one holding the weapon. Her luscious, dark red lips were smiling at him as she drew near. That's it, he had enough of this shit. He pulled out his gun and aimed it at her, but she didn't even flinch and continued towards him like some kind of a fearless, beautiful animal with a super toned body, swinging her pistol leisurely in her right hand.

"I mean it!" He was the one pulling back the hammer now. It was only due to some deeply rooted southern manners that he refrained from simply blasting her face off.

"Okay, fine." She stopped and hoisted herself up on a counter. The black boots with high hills seemed like a natural extension of her legs. She sighted, deeply, which was seen, very prominently, in the movement of her chest and batted her long eyelashes at him. "I'm all yours. What do you want me to do?"

* * *

 **Thanks for reading. Leave comments, I'll be happy to read them.**


	16. Chapter 16

16.

What was it he wanted her to do?….He should restrain her, make sure that…can he tie her over that chest at all?

He slapped himself mentally and narrowed his eyes hoping that focusing his vision will somehow also focus his mind. But the indecisiveness of what to do next persisted.

"I get it…not the trustful type, mmm? Neither am I… Look," she said and spread her jacket a little more; "if you want to check me for other weapons, I've no problem with it."

He was checking her alright, thoroughly with his eyes for a while now, and he'd continue to do so, hadn't Niko's pale face suddenly appeared within his vision frame. She peeped from the entrance of the changing rooms, probably thinking she was well hidden from the blondie's sight. All the blondie had to do to see her, though, was to turn around.

He made a step towards the woman, watching her as well as Niko, who now began to approach them, walking all hunched among the hangers. He knew this poor attempt to ambush the woman from the back will not end well, and he was quite quickly proven right, when Niko suddenly vanished among the clothes, taking down with her a couple of hangers and causing a considerable noise. The blondie immediately jumped from the counter and re-aimed her pistol, glancing back and forth between him and the place where the noise came from.

"Tst tst…reinforcements? No balls to deal with a lady alone, mmm?"

Niko reappeared, capturing for a moment the stare of the woman. A small smile, that of a sudden surprise and impossible to fake, appeared on the woman's face. She suppressed it quickly and he noticed it only because it was so different from her seductive smile, which she's been taunting him with so far. Her lax attitude changed and he realized he was deceived by her looks. There was more to the blondie than her long, long legs and busty chest.

"Oh, hi there," the woman addressed Niko in a cheerful voice.

Niko walked up to him, making a large semi-circle around the woman. The blondie's eyes followed her, her pistol controlling him at all times.

"She has a gun," he said in quiet voice and pushed Niko slightly back with his arm.

"I know, so do you."

"Just stay put."

"So are you two traveling together, mmm?" the woman asked.

"Ain't no business of yours, lady. Now put the pistol down! I won't ask again… and if you're smart you won't be testing who's trigger finger is faster…"

She puffed the air out of her mouth and rolled her eyes under those big eyelashes. Then she lowered her pistol and shoved it over the counter.

He was relived. It really was his last warning.

"Something's not right here," Niko whispered in his ear.

"I got this…" He made a step forward but she pulled him back.

"I don't think you do…"

"Can you just shut up?"

"Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you."

"Right…"

He headed towards the counter with Niko, her hand placed lightly on the back of his shoulder, closely by his side.

Waving his gun, he signaled the woman to step away. She obeyed and continued to watch him from a distance, crossing her hands tightly over her breasts and thus boosting her cleavage even more. Once her pistol was in his hand he relaxed a bit.

"So now that you have my weapon, can we talk like normal people or you gonna keep pointin that gun at me, mmm? Do I really look so dangerous?" The blondie pouted her lips and batted her eyelashes.

He smirked at her, took another good look at that amazing body, and stashed the pistol behind his belt. Sure, she was fine, but something about her didn't rub him the right way.

"Lady, stick to your own shit and we'll stick to ours. There's no reason to cross each other again. Ain't gonna be so friendly next time." He took Niko by the elbow and pushed her along with him towards the place he let go of his bow.

"No need for sunglasses, is there?"

He thought it an odd remark, but didn't want to engage in further banter. Niko seemed to feel differently about it, for she stopped abruptly at her words. "Excuse me?"

"Mmm, last time I looked up to the sky… there's no sun shining …"

Niko's mouth twisted up to the left, exposing some of her teeth in a half smirk, half grin. "I guess….there isn't…" she replied slowly.

"You blind, girl, mmm?"

Turning towards the woman, Niko ignored his nudge on her elbow to move along. She acquired a sudden calmness and focus, which made him nervous.

"Cat got your tongue, girl, mmm?

"C'mon…" He pulled her stronger, dragging her backwards with him.

A nasty feeling crept down his spine as he bent down to take the bow. He was about to grab it when something sharp grazed his hand and kicked the gun out of his hand. Niko pushed him and as they both fell to the floor, she pulled out her sword from behind his back. He reached for the blondie's pistol behind his belt and tried to take the aim when another shiny object flew towards him. Right before his face it bounced off Niko's sword, making a metallic sound. He shot, but the blondie jumped high and made an agile leap behind the hangers, tipping over an entire row at them.

They scrambled from beneath the clothes and crawled behind a small stand with mannequins. He raised his head a little and scanned the hall through the pistol sights, but the blondie was nowhere to be seen.

"Too bad…wasn't for your blind friend there, I would totally let you do me on that counter."

He turned towards her voice. It was coming from the left, but he needed a more accurate position.

"What makes you think, I'd do you at all?"

She giggled. "Even with my pistol aimed at you, your eyes were most of the time on my boobs..."

He shot twice towards red and blue dresses, but all he did was to provoke more giggling.

"No wonder you didn't see this coming," hissed Niko. He gave her a look and pushed her slightly away, adjusting the aim of the pistol.

"What business do you have with my friend?" he called out to her.

"I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you…oh, wait… " There was giggling again, followed by a thick sound. This time it was a mannequin on the podium that saved him from another flying object.

"Stay here and don't move..." he heard Niko saying while he stared at a well-polished throwing knife sticking out of the mannequin's shin.

He immediately reached out to grab her but she was quick to slip away. As soon he stood up to follow her, another knife flew towards him and he had to take cover once more behind the stand.

"Fuck!" He shot a couple of bullets, knowing they won't hit the target. He hoped to give Niko some cover as she hustled through the lines of clothes completely exposed. Sure, she looked quite demonic with her sword in her hand and black sun glasses….but the blondie had knives and her aim was fuckin accurate.

The thought prompted him to go after her without giving it much thought. The long legged blondie suddenly rose from a very different spot he expected her to be. She had at least three throwing knives between the fingers of her left hand and one ready to throw in her right.

"Niko! Stay down!" he shouted. He couldn't get a clear shot. The first knife flew towards her. She deflected it with the sword - how, he couldn't fathom - and then continued to move towards the blondie, who aimed again. They were close, there was no way the blondie was going to miss again.

He caught up with Niko, just as the woman threw the knife. He jumped before her and fired towards the blondie. The knife missed him, but he felt a sudden warm sensation in his abdomen.

"Told you stay behind…I can handle this…" Niko growled at him.

A sharp pain that followed, momentarily distorted the sound of her voice. He was on his knees, wondering why everything looked so fuzzy. He shook his head, closing and opening his eyes. His vision recovered, he saw he shot the women in the shoulder. She was starting to retreat, while Niko dashed past him and chased her toward the elevators.

He finally looked down to see what's causing him such pain. A handle of a knife stuck out from the right side of his stomach. Must have been the second knife the blondie threw, hitting him just as he jumped across. He pulled it out in one fast move, feeling, but disregarding, the pain.

His eyes on the two women, he zipped up his jacket, gritted his teeth and stood up. The blondie was by the elevator doors with a knife ready to throw and Niko was slowly advancing towards her. He pointed the pistol but couldn't get his aim right. His hand was shaky and the pistol seemed to have gained a few pounds. He knew it will be all decided in the next second.

"Niko!" he cried out. The knife flew from the hand of the blondie. It was a low throw and Niko avoided it by jumping up, then leaped forward and cut the woman diagonally through her torso.

The woman dropped on her knees, the blonde strands of her hair covered her face.

"Did he send you?" he heard Niko asking.

She lifted her chin just enough so that her derisive smile was seen beneath her hair. "I wish I could have just killed you….but get ready, bitch, others will come… ". Her head lowered again. "At least I die in his service…."

Niko brought her sword high up and when the blade came down, the blondie's head detached.

"Wanna tell me what's this all about?" he asked, looking at the blondie's headless body.

Niko pouted her lips and turned away from him, jerking her sword to the side. Drops of blood fell off the blade and splashed near him. She seemed to be affected by some emotion he could not understand.

"Great," he muttered to himself and squatted by the body. The pain in his stomach hit him hard again, causing him to loose balance. He leaned forward pressing his hand on the woman's chest. There was no way to avoid the awkward feeling as he stared at the headless neck, feeling the softness of the breasts beneath his palm.

He checked the remaining body and found one knife still attached on the stripes at the back of her t-shirt. There were also similar but empty stripes on the insides of her jacket, including the sleeves, all positioned in a way to make the knives invisible to another person. He proceeded to her pants, finding a small pack of ammo in the back pocket, a lipstick and a crumpled piece of paper. He unfolded the paper and read what was scribbled on it. An eerie feeling set within him with as he struggled through the messy handwriting: scar - right cheek/ blind - sunglasses or other eye cover/ black hair, pale face, skinny/CAUTION! wooden stick – skilled with sword.

"You coming?…The zeds will fill up this place any minute…"

He hid the paper in his pocket and looked for Niko. She was examining sunglasses at the stand near the revolving door, trying on several of them and throwing away those she didn't like, one after another, until she found the ones she was satisfied with. He decided not to doubt her words this time and got on his feet, with much difficulty. The growls were heard and soon after first walkers began to appear, stumbling over the stairs, which lead from their floor to the one below.

He picked up the bow and both guns. Resting his eyes on the head of the blondie, he put his hand under his jacket, and touched carefully over his wound. When he pulled it out, his palm was smeared with blood. The knife must have pierced something important.

* * *

"She wanted to kill you," he said to her as he readied the bike, saying nothing of the small piece of paper in blondie's pocket, which so obviously described Niko.

"Nope, she wanted to kill you. She never aimed at me for a kill."

"Oh yeah, why's that?"

"I don't know why," she replied annoyingly.

It was a long day and his patience was bleeding out just as the blood from his wound in the abdomen. He pinned her against the bike. "You do know why and you do know who….and you will tell me, otherwise…" His head felt suddenly very light. He leaned forward, pressing his forehead against the vampire's mouth on her pink t-shirt.

"Heeey, you're okay? Are you injured?" Her hand gently pushed him back.

"It's nothing," he gasped. "We'll talk about this later, now let's go back, before those walkers squeeze themselves through the door."

"You sure?"

"Yes, dammit, get on the bike already!"

He didn't want to tell her about the injury. She'd want to take charge, not letting him drive the bike and probably have some odd ideas of what to do next, and he had no strength to argue. It's not that bad, he kept telling to himself, he just needed to get back to the prison and then he'll take care of the wound.

But it was bad and he experience that fully as he struggled to lift the leg across the seat and even more when her hands embraced him tightly, just over the stomach.

He heard her ask one more time if he was okay. He could only nod, after that he used every bit of his remaining strength to stay conscious and control the bike.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading. Any comments are most welcome! :)**


	17. Chapter 17

17.

He heard voices, faint and distant at first, then loud and disturbingly distorted.

"Save him…or I'll cut you all down…."

Niko.

"…too risky…nothing I can do…"

Hershel.

"Let go off me….you damn…"

Niko again.

"Take her away…"

Rick.

"Daryl…Daryl! Oh, my God… can't feel his heartbeat…."

Carol.

Pain, nothing but pain.

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He grasped at each conscious thought as if he was climbing a steep rock with very few and small holds. There were times he wanted to let go and slip into a comforting abyss below. Only his stubbornness prevented him from that.

Pain. Assess the situation….he has to assess the situation. What was the last thing he remembered? Niko. They were in that store. The blondie. Niko cut her head off. Knives…he got injured. Have they returned back to the prison? He could not remember that. Have they been captured? Did he loose her? Fuck!

He set his mind on opening the eyes. Did he do it? He couldn't tell. Everything was still dark. His mouth was dry, so he settled for a few words...Niko…water… where… water….Niko…

"Daryl…Daryl!

A touch on his hand and then over his forehead. A pleasant one, accompanied by a caring voice. Was that her voice?

Lots of voices around him. If he could only open his eyes.

He let go and slipped into the abyss again.

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There were times he thought he was conscious, because he felt a presence of somebody else close to him. He tried to look but it soon all dissolved into darkness.

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His whole body was violently shaking. An earthquake? It was cold, so immensely cold. Thoughts started to depart from him, one by one.

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Something pulled him up the wall of consciousness again. His thoughts were clearer somehow. He was in a bed. Somebody was lying next to him. The body of that somebody was entangled with his. He felt warmth.

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He opened his eyelids. Finally. A ray of light over the bed. Sleek, black hair beneath his chin. He buried his face into it. All black again.

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He found himself staring into her eyes. Those discolored, vague eyes, were looking at him… or through him. He pressed his body even closer. Her skin felt smooth against his.

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"Daryl, can you hear me?"

A wet cloth dripped over his forehead. Yes, I can hear you. "Carol?"

"Yes, oh my God, Daryl…no, no, don't get up…Hershel, come quickly…"

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Something was poured down his mouth and warmed his body from the inside. For the first time in a while he felt conscious of his whole body. Everything seemed fine. No limb missing, but he was too weak to make even the slightest movement. Shit. Was he bitten, was he changing? He coughed, spilling the liquid from his mouth all over himself. Dammit!

"It's fine, just take it easy…."

That was Beth. It was another voice he hoped for. Where was she?

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The pain awakened him. Somebody was touching him where it hurt the most. He lifted his head a little. Hershel. He managed to grab his hand.

"Take it easy Daryl. Don't strain yourself. I just need to put a clean bandage."

Hershel gently removed his hand and placed it on the bed.

"Bitten?" he uttered with difficulty.

"What? No, no….nothing like that. A knife wound… your liver was badly damaged….a kind of miracle that you…."

"Niko?"

"She's fine. Don't you remember…"

Sleep.

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Short moments of interactions with the outside world were coming and going. Once during night time he opened his eyes and saw her. He recognized her silhouette on a chair next to his bed. Her head was leaned sideways on the back of the chair and her hair was covering her face. She was asleep. He didn't want to wake her.

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"You're one tough bastard."

Rick. His intense stare was softer than usual.

He tried to smile.

Where was she?

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"One more spoon, come on."

He felt hunger for the first time. Looking into the caring eyes of Carol, he wanted to thank her, but it still required too much energy he didn't yet have.

She took his hand. "Daryl, when you were…I prayed every night…I didn't know-"

He squeezed gently her hand. Tears poured down her cheeks.

"Tell me…"

"What do you want me to tell you?"

"How…came back…"

"Oh, well…" she wiped her tears. "We heard Niko calling for help. Apparently, the moment you entered the fence and stopped the bike, you collapsed. It didn't look good, your injury was grave and Hershel said there's little hope. You lost a lot of blood…and there were a few times…we had to bring you back…"

At least he brought her back...

One more spoon and he had to sleep.

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Beth fed him, staring at him with her glittering, deer-like eyes. She talked about everyday things, and she went on and on. This time he didn't mind.

He was still a bit dazzled, and there were times he sank into a deep sleep and couldn't recall any of it. His time perception was blurred, but he felt his strength growing.

Once he began to recover visibly, they were all coming to see him. Most of the time he felt odd about it. He wasn't exactly much of a talker before and neither did he feel like talking much now.

One night, when his sleep was not as profound as usual, he noticed Niko. She came in as silent as a mouse and sat on a chair besides his bed. She just sat there, looking in his direction, her glasses on, her hands crossed in front. From then on he saw her almost every night. She always came when nobody was around and while he was pretending to be asleep.

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"You recovered well," said Hershel, checking his wound.

"A little stab wound like this ain't gonna kill me."

Hershel smiled and bandaged him, causing him enough pain to wince a few times.

"So what's the situation?"

"Your liver is healing….I don't see any bleeding, but you need to keep still not to reopen the wound." As he finished tying the bandage, he gave him a wise look. "I do believe now, when they say God favors the foolish…"

"God just don't want me up there with him…"

"I doubt God's kingdom is where you go to after this world." Rick approached his bed with a smug smile on his face.

"Wherever I go, I'll sure as hell be seeing you there." As he attempted to laugh the pain in the abdomen returned.

"Can we talk now, without you passing out?"

"He's still weak, Rick," said Hershel quietly.

"I'm fine. Hershel…when I have enough of him, I'll just pretend to fall asleep."

Hershel gave a look of warning to Rick and left.

"All right," said Rick and sat on the chair, moving it closer to his bed. "Now that we're alone, I'd really like to hear some details about what happened out there. Your blind girl wasn't very revealing."

The last sentence affected him. "What did she say?"

"That you two encountered a hostile human, killed her and that you got injured in a process. You should have seen her when you got here…do you remember anything?"

"Umm, I remember leaving the town…"

"Well yeah, you looked pretty…dead by the time you got here. When Hershel said he can't do anything she almost cut him down. We had to restrain her and take away her sword. Wasn't easy either, she gave a nasty cut to Glen …was not very smart of you let her have a weapon-"

"Where is she?"

"Right now? Outside…in her cell, don't know… She comes to check on you, usually at night, when nobody is here. For the rest of time, she lurks around avoiding all of us, same as we avoid her. I'd thrown her in a cell, but..."

"But?"

Rick scratched the back of his head. "Well…she kinda saved your life… I mean… even I lost hope… while she was here all the time…didn't let you go, you know…not when you went unconscious for days…and when you had a fever, she lay with you … I don't know…I had to let her be. Her concern was genuine….heh… seems you two really bonded."

"Shut the fuck up, Rick…"

"Is there anything else, I should know… regarding the incident?"

There was no more confusion in his thoughts and memories. He remembered it all. The piece of paper he found on the blondie's body. Somebody was after her. She was safe for now, here in the prison, but the matter worried him. It smelled of evil and he had a gut feeling that taking the blondie's head wasn't the end of it.

"Nope."

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There she was, in the semi-darkness of twilight, on the chair next to his bed, as she had been many times before. They were looking at each other, well, at least he was looking at her. Her glasses were pushed up on her forehead and he couldn't stop staring at those eyes.

"You're awake," she suddenly said.

"Mh-mmm."

Her void gaze moved slightly up from him into the room and then there was silence.

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He took a can and a spoon from Beth and ate on his own. Her persistent and overly caring stare unnerved him. She looked at him as he was some helpless baby and he hated it, but didn't say anything not to offend her.

"I'm so happy, you feel better," she said after he passed her an empty can. "You know, if…if you haven't pulled through, I don't know what I'd do. "

"Beth, stop whining," he said in a humorous tone. "I'm fine, really."

She took his hand. "When I thought we're going to lose you…" She chocked at the words and her cheeks became red. "All I could think of…. was that you gonna leave this world, without even knowing, how much-"

"Beth," he immediately cut in. "How long was I out?"

"It's gonna be almost two weeks…I think…"

"No fuckin way!" He was genuinely surprised. He let go of her hand and pushed the blanket away.

"What…what are you doing, Daryl? There's no way I'm letting you-"

She tried to prevent him from getting out of the bed, but his feet were already on the floor and he tried to stand up. His legs didn't hold him and he collapsed back on the bed. He tried again.

"Hershel!" screamed Beth.

Nope, he ain't gonna give up that easily!

But his stubbornness was not enough this time and with Beth assisting him he lay back on the bed, cursing.

"Daryl, how foolish can you be!" Hershel immediately checked his bandage. "You need at least a week more in bed. If you pull something like this again, I'll bring Rick here to talk some sense into you."

He chuckled and let Beth adjust his pillow. It's fine… he'd tried it again later. There was no way he was going to stay in bed for another week.

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It was late night time when she came to sit by his bed again. And again, she said nothing.

He smirked. "I thought by now, you'd do or say something to get yourself closed in the cell."

"That's awfully judgmental of you. I'm at my best behavior, they have no reason to lock me up."

"So, what do you do all day?"

"Huh…" she crossed her hands and turned her head away.

"I see…."

"You see less than I do…anyway…. I keep to myself, that's what I do."

"An excellent decision."

She stretched her hands and puffed air out of her mouth loudly. "So when are you getting up already?"

He sighed. "Thanks, I guess."

"What for?"

He didn't answer.

He caught a glimpse of her sitting on the chair as he woke up briefly during the night and then again in the morning light just as she was leaving.

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"Hershel, dammit, I just need one crutch…"

"And I'll give you my own, as soon as you'll be healthy enough to walk around…"

"I'm getting up with or without it."

"Daryl, for once, do as I say. Your body needs rest. You still don't get it, do you? You being alive is a miracle, but this can quickly change, if you won't listen to me."

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He felt in his sleep somebody was watching him and peered through half-open eyes. A figure above him. Niko? No. It was a man. Wait…Merle? Must be just a dream.

Beth woke him up, as usual, with a breakfast.

"You know, Beth, you don't have to be here all the time. I'll eat it all even if you're not watching."

"But I want to."

He couldn't do much. The girl was relentless in her care for him. "Tell me, is everything fine? Enough provisions? Has Rick taken care of it?"

"No worries about that, your brother came back and he brought full of stuff with him."

"The fuck you didn't tell me that before?" He pushed the can into her hands. "Where is he?"

Surprised at his reaction she began to stutter:" Well…I…I'm not sure…around, I guess."

"Help me up, Beth."

"No, Daryl, I'm not allowed to. Hershel prescribed at least another week-"

"Beth, help me up!"

She stood up from the chair and shook her head. "I'll go get Hershel," she said and ran out of the room.

He pulled the chair closer to the bed and grabbing its back he pushed himself up. His legs were shaking but after a few seconds he felt stable enough to let go of the chair and staggered ahead, using the wall and any other furniture on the way to prevent him from falling. He found a stick in the corner, a left-over of a broom or some other utensil, and with its help walked out.

He bathed his face on the sun outside the block for a whole minute, then, sheltering his eyes with a hand, he looked down toward the fence and saw most of his friends fighting off an increasing number of walkers. She was not among them.

He walked to the detention room and upon entering saw what he feared the most.

Merle just smashed Niko into the chair. Her glasses stood crookedly on her nose and drops of blood appeared on her lips. The violent act did not erase her small, derisive smile, which, he knew, will make his brother's blood boil.

Merle pressed a knife to her throat. "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, bitch!"

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 **Sorry it took so long for the update, but thanks for all the comments and thanks for continuing to read this story. Leave your reviews, I'll be happy to read them! :)**


	18. Chapter 18

18.

He sat down on the pavement behind the detention block, lit the cigarette with haste and took a long draw. As he exhaled the smoke slowly, he cast out his gaze far behind the fence, at the empty meadow and even further at the woods, wishing he was there, or anywhere else, as long as it was away from the prison and the people in it.

He took another long draw. He saved her, that's all that mattered. Telling his horrible secret was the only way Merle would let her go. Or that, or he'd had to kill him.

Half cigarette smoked, he heard her insecure steps. He hoped she'd go away, but after her hand found his shoulder, she sat down next to him. He couldn't look her in the face, afraid he'll see pity.

She licked the blood from her lips and adjusted the glasses. "Could I have one, please?"

He gave her a cigarette and lit it for her, begging her in silence to go away.

"I understand now," she said, after taking a couple of long draws on the cigarette. "I understand, why the two of us get along so well."

Not exactly how he'd put it, but yes, there was a natural affinity he felt for her.

"We are both damaged goods you and I. Each one in his own way, but just as badly."

The smoke curled and twirled beautifully from her lips. He was curious about her story, but could not bring himself to start any kind of conversation at that moment. The air was too heavy, pressing in on him from all sides.

"We might feel, or want to feel, like we belong with others, but it's just a wishful thinking, a temporary illusion. Eventually, we always end up walking our paths alone. It's just how it is, with people like us. Anyway, that took guts…"

He snorted and pulled on the cigarette. "You don't have to-"

"I don't pity you ….bad, shitty things happen to many people, that's nothing new. What matters to me is that you did this to save me-"

"Again…"

"Hmm?"

"I saved you…again."

"Yes, you're right. But this time was different. I said my goodbyes to this world for real. I felt your brother's determination and even when you were pleading him, I knew, I could feel it, nothing you say will deter him from slashing my throat. It turned out I was wrong, of course, but I'm aware how much it cost you. I'm pretty sure, 'cause of the way you are, you'd rather chose any kind of physical pain over revealing yourself like that, had it been a possibility."

Indeed, if there was any other option, he'd never tell Merle. That Frank abused him in his younger age was a secret he wanted to take to the grave. It wasn't for long and as soon as he got bigger, Frank wouldn't dare to touch him anymore. Cause that's the kind of man Frank was, going only after people, who were much weaker than him. He dealt with it long ago, and apart from deep mistrust and general aversion to emotional or physical closeness with other people, it was long gone from his system. He never thought of burdening anyone, especially not his brother, with this. But no pleading would help this time, not even telling Merle she saved his life. Frank was like a brother to Merle and to pardon his killer was not an option. So he told him about who Frank really was and what he did to him while Merle was away on the road or passed out drunk somewhere. He knew Merle would have no need to revenge after that. It was or the unpleasant truth or to kill him to save Niko, and he certainly didn't want to kill his brother.

He felt weak though, for the first time in a long time. He'd never forget the expression on Merle's face as he uttered the words. So much pain and guilt shot through his brother's eyes, he thought he was going to stab himself with the knife he held at Niko's throat. As soon as he let her go, he left too. He couldn't bear to take another look at his devastated brother. Something broke between them and it was beyond repair.

"That bastard Frank is lucky to be already dead. Your brother would…" Without finishing her sentence she drew on a cigarette once more and stubbed it out. She turned to him. "It means you really care about me."

Did he? He ruined the relationship between him and his brother forever to save her life. He'd do it again too. Yes, he cared about her.

"You barely know me, and ….well, nobody ever did so much for me. Thanks."

For once he felt like it matters whether he was on this world or not. She needed him, really needed him. And for that, he needed her. He suddenly wished for her touch, not the kind he received from her down in the corridor upon their first meeting, but for a different one, the kind he has so far avoided his entire life.

He kept the thoughts to himself and they sat in silence for the remaining time, smoking almost a full pack.

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 **Thanks for reading and all your likes. Pls leave your commments, reviews, opinions...anything you want. Hopefully next chapter soon! :)**


	19. Chapter 19

19.

Four days passed since he told Merle about Frank and he hasn't seen him since. He suspected his brother left the prison to avoid him, needing time on his own to deal with it. That was more than fine for him too, since he had no desire to face Merle either.

Nobody else in the prison knew what went on between the two of them, save for Niko, who didn't speak to anyone anyway. He didn't see much of her either. He wondered if she was avoiding him as well. That he had to reveal the long buried part of his past, was one of the few regrets he had. It made him feel exposed in an unpleasant way and all he could do was to hope that these awkward feelings would pass soon.

His injury was healing although Hershel had to re-do the stitches after he escaped from the bed. His body still recovering, he promised he'd stay in bed for another week. But on the fourth day, as soon as Beth left the room, he slipped out again.

He looked for a remote part of the prison and sat down behind one of the blocks in the shadow. He chose a place, he thought nobody would notice him, but it didn't take long before Niko joined him. How the hell she found me so quickly, he wondered, reluctant to admit it was her company he hoped for.

"Disobeying the doc again?"

"I'm fine."

"Can I touch it?"

The cigarette he was about to put in his mouth remained in his hand. "Touch what?"

She made an awkward smile. "The stitches."

"Ehmm…" he mumbled, but her hand already reached towards his belly and slipped under his shirt. Her fingers were cold, nevertheless her touch caused him a warm sensation.

"Well, you'll definitely have a scar."

He chuckled and removed her hand from beneath his shirt. "Do I look like I care?"

"Just as fine….it will serve you as a reminder."

"A reminder of what?"

"Of me."

He stared at her. He wished she removed her glasses.

"At least somebody will remember me," she added.

There was an attractive sadness in her voice. He remembered the cigarette he just put in his mouth and lit it. He offered one to her, but she didn't react. "Umm…you want one?" He shook the box in front of her face.

"No, thanks. Not today." She pulled up her legs, wrapped her arms around them and leaned her chin on her knees.

"Sure some other folks will remember you. You ain't the kind to be forgotten easily," he said, trying to lighten up the atmosphere that turned heavy.

She replied with a big grin. "Oh, that's the nicest thing anyone said to me in a while."

He didn't mean it strictly as a compliment but not wanting to spoil the moment, he refrained from elaborating on that. "Well…sure as hell you must have impressed that blondie. I mean, why else would she be after you?"

"How do you know she was after me?"

"C'mon, don't bullshit me."

"Fine, she was after me."

He looked at her. First time he got her to admit something. "Why?"

She shook her head. "Don't know."

"You thought somebody sent her after you. Who?"

No answer.

"And that cowboy character, Sasha and Tyreese saw… he was also after you. With blondie now, that's already a pattern. Wanna tell me about it?"

She turned her head towards him, still embracing her legs. "There's nothing to tell, I'm not even sure what you're implying it's true."

And they were back to square one. He stubbed out the cigarette and stood up abruptly. "Fuck you!"

"Excuse me?"

"You're lying. You're still lying to me. So, fuck you, Niko."

He was about to walk away, but she rushed after him and tried to stop him, pulling him back by the shoulder.

"Daryl! Wait dammit!"

He roughly brushed her off and continued, but she persisted and stumbled over a sidewalk. He caught her just in time. She tried to wiggle out of his hold, but he kept a firm grip on her shoulders.

"I ain't playing this game anymore, you tell me the truth or get out of here!"

His harsh words made an impact and her body became soft in his arms. "I can't…I don't know how…" she muttered. He realized his grip was rather strong, so he released her. She collapsed on her knees and sat on the pavement like a pile of misery. Conflicting emotions surged inside him.

"C'mon," he said after some consideration, poked her on the head and offered his hand. She grabbed it and hoisted herself up. For a prolonged moment, she stood very close to him and he didn't move at all, then she took him by the hand and led him towards the block.

"Can we enter some place?"

"Mh-mmm." He took the lead and pushed open the first door they came across. The corridor was dark and looked empty. He listened carefully for any walkers.

"There aren't any," she said.

"You see… how the hell would you know this? I don't know it and I ain't blind." Just as he finished his sentence, she pulled him towards the wall and pressed her body against his. Her face was an inch away and he felt her breath on his lips. As his hand went toward her glasses, she flinched, but she allowed him to remove them. It was dark enough. He passed his hand over her white, smooth skin, tracing the scar across her check. He got used to her eyes, he started to like them. She took his hand and led it inside her shirt. He embraced her body, his hand caressing her damaged back.

"You have more scars than I do."

"Do they bother you?" she asked insecurely.

"No, not at all. Would wanna know about them, though."

"Now it's not the time," she replied and kissed him on the mouth.

For a while they kissed and embraced each other as tightly as they could. Then he lay her down on the ground and both started to undress with haste. His stiches were burning, but at that moment he couldn't care less if it hurt him twice as much.

"You won't kick my balls again, will you?"

She giggled. "Depends."

He held her by her chin, pinning her face towards him. "Oh, yeah? Depends on what?"

Then he kissed her. She responded to his rhythm, or he to hers, he couldn't tell. It was different this time. The first time in the cellar it was pure lust, now he cared.

* * *

He was putting on his pants, glancing sideways at her. She already dressed up. Her face looked softened by a gentle smile, which persisted on her lips. He was smiling too. They sat close to each other, with only their shoulders touching, and enjoyed the silence. Two times he almost put his arm around her, and both times he changed his mind. Then she leaned her head on his shoulder and put her hand across his belly, a minimal, unobtrusive gesture, which felt to him as pleasing as the warmth of a camping fire in the cold, dark woods.

"Shit, you're bleeding!" she said suddenly, her head leaving his shoulder.

He looked down and saw a stain of blood on the t-shirt, just above the area of the stiches. It began to ache too.

"It's nothing."

"You sure? Shouldn't you go to the doc and check it out?

"No, no doc needed…it's just a bit of blood. Been worse off…many times."

He was glad when she put her head back on his shoulder.

"So you want to hear about the scars?"

"Mh-mmm."

"I got them long time ago, before the zeds, in the world with traditions very different from the ones you know. You see, my teacher…I already told you he was not an easy man….he believed that a person's spirit can be properly shaped only the hard way. It was him that gave me the first scar, the scar on my face, so that, being a woman, I won't be overly concerned with superficialities, such as good looks. Heh, as if being blind was not good enough."

She paused and he got a feeling she wanted him to say something, or at least acknowledge her little joke in order not to sound pitiful. Yet he couldn't smile nor make a silly remark at her words. "How old were you?" was all he could come up with.

"Twelve. I know it sounds awful, but it really was just a superficial wound, in physical as well as in emotional sense. It was the other scar, the one on my back, that almost killed me, and I mean that in every sense of the word."

Her breathing was not relaxed anymore. She lifted her head from his shoulder, and lowered her chin downwards, casting her eyes at the floor.

"Look…if you don't want to talk about it…it's fine. What concerns me more is what's happening now… that killer blondie was after you for a reason and she was looking specifically for you."

"No, no…you don't know that for sure." She spoke as if she needed to convince herself and not him.

"Listen to me… I found a paper in her pocket, with a written description of you. And if not to kill you then-"

"What are you saying?" she asked, turning her stare at him.

He raised his hand to stroke her hair, wanting to dispel the dread in those vague eyes, the dread his words obviously caused, but at the end he only gave her shoulder a light nudge. "Hey…don't matter anymore. You killed her, so she's out of the way. But I need to know what's this all about in case others show up. I want to be prepared better next time."

She nodded and turned away from him. "There's something I didn't tell you. Not because I wanted to lie, but because I really wasn't sure. But if what you say it's true, I can only think of one person that would go to such lengths to get me. You see, I haven't been fully honest with you about my family-"

It was at that moment that all the hell broke loose. There were shots fired, people shouting and the growling sounds increased all of a sudden. They both sprung to their feet and, him leading her by the hand, ran towards the commotion.

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 **Thanks to all those that follow this story. As always, I'd be thrilled to read you comments! Thank you! :)**


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